Woman Drives Into Crowd In Washington D.C.

A "30-year-old" woman - driving 70 m.p.h. with a child in her car - plowed into a crowd at a festival in the nation's capitol.

Thirty-five were injured - 7 serious to critically - including "2 children under 3"years of age - according to the Associated Press. Two motorcycle police officers were also among the injured - sacrificing their cycles and themselves trying to stop the woman's car from ramming into the crowd.

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Good Luck Missouri Tigers!

Hope your baseball team takes it all. Make us proud.

(From a Jayhawker too! lol)

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Feds Claim Plot Foiled To Destroy NYC Airport

One of the terrorists arrested in the foiled plot to blow up JFK Airport and a jet fuel pipeline was an American citizen!

Many fellow travellers have suggested JFK (formerly Idlewild) airport be demolished and rebuilt (heard this about O'Hare too) - but I do not believe in that fashion.

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Latest Death Toll In Iraq

According to the AP:

"The U.S. military, meanwhile, reported another soldier was killed in a roadside bombing Wednesday in Baghdad, raising to at least 127 the number U.S. troop deaths in May, the third-deadliest month for American forces since the war started in March 2003. It followed April 2004, when 135 Americans died and November 2004 with 137.

May also was the third-deadliest for Iraqis since The Associated Press began tracking civilian casualties in April 2005. At least 2,155 Iraqis were killed last month, according to the AP count. Interior Ministry officials said the Iraqi government put the number at 2,123.

The deadliest months in the past two years were December 2006, when at least 2,309 were killed, and November 2006, when at least 2,250 were killed.

The number of bodies found - usually attributed to sectarian death squads - dipped slightly in February 2007, immediately after the Baghdad security crackdown began Feb. 14, but has been steadily increasing in recent weeks. Since April 1, at least 1,974 bodies have been found across Iraq. At least 1,186 of these were found inside Baghdad, and 788 outside the capital."

If we stay in Iraq long enough- there may not be many Iraqis left to "defend"....

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China's Trying To Kill Us

Now it's bad toothpaste - the last episode of bad Chinese products were harmful additives found in some pet foods.

American consumers probably ought to REALLY, REALLY think about all these corporations that moved their manufacturing plants to foreign countries - away from the scutiny of U.S. government inspectors.

Doesn't America make ANYTHING anymore except crappy cars and war?

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The Kansas City MetroRegion Overnight News and Weather Report - Saturday, June 02, 2007

* Activity Slow In The MetroRegion Overnight*

A vacant house fire in KC-KS and a minor kitchen fire in a Gladstone apartment were the only significant news items overnight.

The KC-KS incident was at 1:17am- a vacant house fire in the 900 block of Freeman. No injuries and arson suspected.

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The Gladstone incident came in at 2:41 am to a "kitchen fire on the 3rd-floor" of an apartment building in the 3500 block of N.E. 72nd Street.

Police evacuated the building before fire crews arrived and those crews had the fire under control at 2:54 am. No injuries were reported there and no word of any displaced dwellers.

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<><><>OVERNIGHT WEATHER<><><>

Showers and thunderstorms moved out of the K.C. MetroRegion by dawn and skies were slowly clearing from the west.
Temperatures remained generally in the middle to lower 60's and winds were light or calm.
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First with Metro Kansas City Breaking News - NBC41 ACTION NEWS.
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"Buffalo Bill" Cody Billboard Restored

In Jamestown, NY.- part of a brick wall of an old hotel had fallen away- revealing the billboard for one of Cody's shows - in 1878.

The billboard has been restored to it's original condition. The "official" Buffalo Bill Cody museum is in North Platte, NE..

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You Scream- I Scream- We All Scream - But For Termites?

The call came in here to the newscenter as "an unknown medical call - woman screaming" at an address in KC-MO's Northland.

Police arrive and cancel the paramedic unit - "The woman was screaming because she had termites."

Why sure - we all scream at termites at 4 am!

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Catholic Dioceses Resort To Bankruptcy To Avoid Sex Abuse Claims

Just a few weeks ago I read where the San Diego diocese threatened to file for bankruptcy because of the lawsuits against their employees for sexual abuse.

The AP reports the diocese in Spokane, WA. has just emerged from such a bankruptcy - but now Spokane's Catholic parishoners are being dunned for "$48 million to settle (sexual abuse)victims' claims."

Just in that diocese - "175" people were subject to clergy abuse. Why I'm an agnostic.

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Defense Secretary Robert Gates Has A Clue

According to the AP - "Defense Secretary Robert Gates called Saturday for more focus on combating poverty and other underlying causes of extremism." (Italics mine)

I guess that college edumation paid off well for Gates - EVERY "advanced" civilization in history has fallen basically because the ruling class forgot about "the have-nots."

NOT the "haves and have-mores" Bush likes to feather his nest with.

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Any Landing You Walk Away From Is A Good One

No matter if the small aircraft's pilot clipped the roofs of 2 homes, smaked a parked truck and came to rest against a brick wall in the Chandler, AZ. neighborhood.
Th pilot with his feline-like luck - walked away with "slight injuries."

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American Federal Agents To 4 Cities To Help Quell Violence

The AP reports that federal agents will help law authorities in four U.S. cities where violence has "spiked."
Hope they don't need the National Guard too.

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American Citizen's Rights An Oxymoron

No wonder most Iraqis do not want America over there. We went in with the pretense of "giving the Iraqi people freedom."
Freedom from what - besides Saddam - I dunno.

Freedom in America is fading away. Ask the military reservist who is facing a military tribunal for wearing his uniform during a protest against the Iraq War.

Well- the V.F.W. at least has come to their senses and are defending this AMERICAN.

Tell me folks - if we impeached Bush - could we also get rid of most of the rest of the American government too?

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Illinois Students Denied Diplomas Over Cheers

Yeah - sometimes these high school graduation ceremonies can become loud - but hell - why deny students' dipomas because of some yahoos in the audience?

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Eastern Iowa Tornado Injures Several

A 10-mile-long tornado ripped through portions of eastern Iowa Friday afternoon - causing destruction but no deaths and only a few non life-threatening injuries.
Preliminary rating on the tornado is an EF-2.

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KC-MO Police Investigate Homicide

It's little more than a mile west of me - a young black male was found shot to death at 86th Street and Drury.

Two suspects were seen running in a field west of the crime scene. No other details yet.

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Gunman Scare At The University of Kansas

University and Lawrence, KS police as well as Douglas County sheriff's deputies searched the K.U. campus Friday morning for a reported "man carrying a rifle."

The sighting was reported near Wescoe Hall. There was reportedly no lockdown of the K.U. campus after the report was received.

Police did not find the man nor did they provide any additional information on this incident.

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Schoolchilden Witness Fatal Accident in Washington State

A utility worker was killed and a teacher injured when the bucket-boom of a utility truck - being used at the school for an experiment - broke off & fell to the ground.

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Missouri Native Faces Deportation- Loss Of Children

This woman originally from St. Louis converted to Islam when she turned 18 - eventually moving to Oman - marrying and having children.

Now with difficulties in her marriage - she faces deportation from Oman without her children.

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Arkansas Boy Dies In Dishwasher

The AP reports "an 18-month-old" apparently crawled inside and shut the door. Unfortunately- the dishwasher started automatically when the door was shut.

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NWS-SPC Severe Storm Outlook Shifts North

According to the latest convective outlook - most of the KC MetroRegion is no longer under a slight risk of severe thunderstorms.

Mostly this is due to cloud cover expected to persist in our area- severely limiting daytime heating- therefore greatly reducing the atmosphere's instability.

Should the cloud cover break however and we heat up to around 80 - this forecast may again include the KC Metro in later outlooks.

Also - the ground over most of the KC Metro is saturated - any torrential rainfalls will produce sudden and - if we get repeat storms - serious flash-flooding.

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KANSAS CITY BREAKING WEATHER: Flash Flood Warning- Cass County Mo..

The NWS has issued a "flash-flood warning for Cass County."

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KANSAS CITY BREAKING WEATHER: Flash Flood Warning: Miami - Linn Counties KS.

At 2:49am- the NWS in Pleasant Hill has issued a flash flood warning until 6 am for Miami & Linn counties Kansas.

Strong thunderstorms are over those areas - and are now in the western K.C. Metro counties (Johnson- Wyandotte- Leavenworth).

The activity threatening KC has weakened - but will still produce anywhere from a half-inch to an inch and a half of rain in a short time.

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KANSAS CITY WEATHER UPDATE: Severe Storm Watch Likely Soon

The SPC in Norman is talking of issuing "a local extention" of Severe Thunderstorm Watch #318 that includes portions of southeastern Kansas south of the MetroRegion 50-mile radius of Downtown KC-MO..

This new watch - or "extention" - will include the Kansas City and Lawrence areas.

Lightning is already visible on west-facing traffic cameras in Overland Park.

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KANSAS CITY'S BREAKING WEATHER NEWS: Storm Line Racing Into The Western MetroRegion

The leading edge of a line of strong to severe thunderstorms (see radar image below) continues moving eastward at near 45 m.p.h. and is entering the Topeka, KS Metro at this time.

There IS a flash flood watch for the K.C. Metro counties along and north of the Missouri & Kansas Rivers - there is no severe storm watch in effect here at this time.

Storms should enter Lawrence by 2 am and into the City itself by 3 am.. Expect intense lightning, strong winds, small hail and very heavy rain when the storms move in.

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Dell Computers To Lay Off 8,000

You seem to read stories like this every week - a big America corporation making huge job cuts.

This time it's Round Rock, TX-based Dell Computers.

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KANSAS CITY'S BREAKING NEWS UPDATE: Infant Burned in Cass County, MO..

Here are more details on the burned child from Cass County, MO..

Lifeflight-Eagle medical helicopter 2 reports their patient "is an 18-month-old female- with 2nd-degree burns on the face- back- arms" and other areas of her body.

Her condition although serious - sounds not immediately life-threatening.

The paramedic says "the child's burns were suffered when someone tried to start a campfire with gasoline."

The mother - reported having "burns to her hands" was transported to a county medical facility by ambulance.

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KANSAS CITY'S BREAKING NEWS: Child Burned In Cass County, MO.

There is a report of "a child with 30-percent coverage of burns" on her body - possibly from a house fire in Drexel, MO. - in far southwestern Cass County. A medical helicopter is enroute to the scene for that victim.

Also reported with more minor injuries is the child's mother. No further details at this time.

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KC-MO Firm Posts Photos Of Secretive New U.S. Embassy in Baghdad

The place is supposed to be high-dollar/high-security. Yet our local architect firm posts computer renderings of the Vatican City-sized compound.

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R.I.P. Bannister Mall

There are only a few hours left - at 8pm - what was once one of Kansas City's most bustling shopping malls will close & lock it doors forever.

The Bannister Mall - as well as the surrounding retail area - once provided the city with work for many hundreds of it's residents and hundreds of thousands of dollars yearly in sales tax revenue.

Now the entire area is a civic disgrace.

A drive down once-busy Hillcrest Road between 87th and 95th Street reveals dozens of empty and boarded-up buildings with parking lots adorned by weeds shooting up between the cracks.

In fact during the mayorial election - I proposed that stretch of Hillcrest be renamed Chuck Eddy Drive - he's one of that districts' council people who fiddled while Bannister died.

Of course to blame Dr. Eddy alone isn't right. Yes- there was the racial aspect and the white money's perception of crime at the mall.

Well - I'm white - live a mile away from the mall and I've never had a problem there. The only problem is now I have to drive to ANOTHER city to shop at some of the stores that used to be either in Bannister Mall or the nearby retail area (no, WalMart's not one of them).

I'm all for a KC Wizards soccer stadium being built there. Anything beneficial really.

Remember - black and brown people's money is as every bit as good as the white folks' cash.

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Flash Flooding Kills One

A KC-MO Northland boy has died after being swept into a storm drain yesterday.

Damn! If only the boy's family had been reading this blog (scroll down for my pre-storm warning).

One gallon of water weighs 8.33 pounds. Multiply that times the actual number of gallons a flood produces plus gravitational effects and that is why rushing water is SO powerful.

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"Slight Risk" Of Severe Storms Friday

The Storm Prediction Center in Norman, OK. has the Kansas City MetroRegion in a "slight risk" of severe thunderstorms and their accompanying weather Friday.
This forecast will be updated around 1am local time and I'll post the update here at that time.

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Some Iraquis Rise Up To Fight Al Quada - 122 Americans Dead In May

This was bound to happen - ordinary Iraqui citizens tired of all the BS - took on some bad guys on their own. Also- American dead in May in Iraq has reached 122.

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AP: Five Areas Of U.S. Hurricane Threat

Even though last year's hurricane season was a bust of sorts - do NOT count on that happening this year.

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Spam King Arrested

Reportedly "...one of the top 10 spammers in the world" - Robert Alan Soloway was indicted on 35 charges last week by a federal grand jury in Seattle.

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Lost Whales May Be Back In The Pacific

There have been no sightings of the whale mother & calf - named by many "Delta" and "Dawn" - since the whales entered the San Francisco Bay late Tuesday.

Scientists are hoping the whales swam into the Pacific under the cover of darkness Wednesday morning.

Unless they reappear - this is the final chapter of this unusual saga.

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MetroRegion Kansas City Weather: Showers- Storms Redeveloping

A broken line of showers and thunderstorms continues to develop generally along and about 10 miles either side of I-35 on the Missouri side - and along and west 0f I-35- U.S. 169 in Kansas.

Locally torrential rainfall in the heavier storm cells are the primary severe threat at this time.

As the line remaines relatively motionless - cells in the line are tending to move along the axis of the line.
This repeat of heavy cells over the same areas more than a couple of hours will result in flash-flooding this afternoon into this evening.

The Very Latest On The Lost California Whales

Via the SF Chronicle via a SF-area blogger this morning.

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KANSAS CITY'S BREAKING NEWS: Apartment House Fire In Near-Southeastern KC-MO.

The initial alarm came in at 9:27am - "one call from Apartment 14" of a fire in the building in the 8700 block of Buckingham Lane.

At 9:33am- Pumper 43 arrives and reports "smoke showing from a 2-story apartment building." Forty-three's crew pulls a 1-3/4-inch handline and rushes to the building

At 9:40 am- the fire-apartment is reported clear of any possible victims and the fire - though never offically declared - sounded mostly under control.

The MAST-EMS crew sent on standby didn't transport any injured. A fire investigator and the Red Cross for "6 adults" displaced by the fire responded.

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Man Spreads Rare Tuberculosis Virus Throughout Europe, North America

This man's NOW in isolation according to America's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, GA. after travelling all over Europe & North America with this virus.

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Indiana's State Law Requiring Weather Radios

New mobile homes sold in that state are now required to have built-in weather alert radios.
Kansas and Missouri leaders might take note of this wise development.
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Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Weather radios not enough, some say Trailer parks need shelters, experts say

INDIANAPOLIS -Associated Press- Some experts hope a new state law requiring weather radios in mobile homes will be the first step in a series of needed improvements to help keep residents safe when tornadoes and other severe storms hit Indiana.

The law requires mobile homes installed in Indiana after June 30 to be equipped with weather radios that can alert people of pending bad weather. The bill was initiated by Kathryn Martin, whose 2-year-old son, C.J., and two other family members died in a Nov. 6, 2005, tornado that struck the Eastbrook Mobile Home Park in Evansville.

The tornado devastated the mobile home park and killed 25 people across southwestern Indiana.

Jim Keller, a lobbyist for the Indiana Manufactured Housing Association, said all homes can benefit from weather radios, not just homes located in Indiana's 1,200 mobile home parks.

At Chuck's Mobile Home Park in Indianapolis, some residents said the radios can help, especially at night or when televisions aren't turned on.

"I try to leave the television on so that I know what's going on," said Debora Nugent, 47. "But when storms come, I usually shut (electronic) stuff down."

The next steps to protect residents should be reinforcing existing warning systems and creating shelters for mobile home residents, experts said.

"Mobile homes give wind pressure a large area to act on, but they don't have a lot of dead weight to keep anchored down," said Ernst Kiesling, a Texas Tech University civil engineering professor and executive director of the National Storm Shelter Association.

Mobile home residents make up less than 10 percent of the country's population but make up about 33 percent of all tornado-related deaths, he said. From 2000 to 2005, mobile home residents accounted for more than half of tornado-related deaths.
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Heavy Rain Of Concern In Metro K.C.

A cool front is making it's way toward the Kansas City MetroRegion this morning and will affect our weather in the next 6 hours and over the next 24 to 48 hours after that.

The only severe weather expected right now is heavy rainfall.

This could produce flash-flooding - especially in areas that have recently received heavy rain - extreme southern Platte, southern Clay and Ray counties MO. locally.

After tonight's weekly casino run - I'll have the sensors fired up here.
Wish me and us all luck.

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Look For A Mr. Goldbather

I HAVE to follow up the last post with a lighter one.

Some hotel in Japan is missing a solid-gold bathtub.

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A Story I Didn't Want To Report

But I cannot edit-report the acts of despair some people in this world are led to - no matter how utterly sad and yes - depressing they are.

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How About The Band's Bong?

The WHO - not the rock band - says those who smoke water pipes (hookahs) are exposed to the same dangers to lung cancer.

I used a hookah once - her pimp went looking for but never found me.

And no Kev - I think they're just talking about tobacco users....

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Microsoft Unveils New Computer

The technology sounds quite interesting - and at a reported "$5,000 and $10,000 per unit" I'se a-gonna run right out and get me one.

NOT.

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Five British Kidnapped in Baghdad - American Toll of 113 Is War's 3rd Deadliest Month

Here's the latest goings-on in this now-obviously lost debacle.
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KANSAS CITY'S BREAKING NEWS: Two Southside KC-MO Shootings

Police are investigating a shooting that took place in southern KC-MO. just after 1 am Wednesday morning.
It was reported at 1:13 am to be "two" gunshot victims who arrived at a convenience store on Bannister east of I-435.
Just minutes before - police reported receiving several calls of "shots fired" at an apartment complex near Bannister & Cleveland.
MAST-EMS Unit-112 transported "a 20-year-old male with 3 gunshot-entrance wounds to his right shoulder" and "high on cocaine" to an area trauma center.
So far- no suspect information has been broadcast on this incident.

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Police reported "one minor injury" in the 7400 block of Lydia just before 1 am because of a "drive'by" shooting there.
Only suspect info police had to offer was "unknown suspects in a black Chevy Cobalt."

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Lost In Space

A Delaware man on trial for murder says aliens were trying to abduct his daughter. (It was probably E-T selling cell service).

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Delta and Dawn Almost Home

The mother and child whales who have been swimming around in the Sacramento River delta for the past 10 days have made it to the San Francisco Bay.
I'm keeping an eye out today for the story that says they swam under the Golden Gate and Bon Voyage.

God Speed Delta & Dawn!

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Minister's Diaries Of Deadly Johnstown, PA Flood Found

Rev. David J. Beale's long-lost writings being researched for new insight on the 1889 flash-flood that killed more than 2,200 people.

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Cindy Sheehan Calls It Quits

The Gold Star mother who became the lightning-rod for the anti-Bush's Folly movement has had enough.
Ms Sheehan wrote on her blog Daily Kos: "Good-bye America ... you are not the country that I love and I finally realized no matter how much I sacrifice, I can't make you be that country unless you want it. It's up to you now."

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AP: Updated War Dead Tally

In just the past few hours - the AP has upped the toll - now reporting "10" American servicepeople died in Iraq on our Memorial Day.
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Eight More American Dead In Iraq

This brings the number of American soldiers killed in Iraq in May to at least 110. Of course there are untold tens of thousand of Iraq casualties.
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King Bush

Rick Barber's guest is talking about this on his radio show right now. (Tuesday. May 29th 4AM - Rick gets disturbing news from Jerome Corsi Ph.D. on President Bush's latest dictatorial power grab.)

Bush signed some sort of presidential order on May 9 that didn't get the Hilton-O'Donnell-Lohan news media attention.

Here's a WikiPedia article - labeled unverified because the White House "refuses comment" or "won't return inquiring phone calls" on the matter.

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"We're fighting a war over there because the enemy attacked us first,"

That's what the Dick Cheney told the West Point class Monday.

Silly us - we thought you went to Iraq to remove Saddam.

What's that?

Oh yeah - the other war in the other place.

Never mind....

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What Does Bush And A Bridge Pier In The Major Egyptian River Have In Common?

They are both deep in denial.

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Troubling News At County General

I recently read where most strains of the sexually-transmitted disease gonorhea have become resistant to standard antibiotics.

Now a Chicago medical researcher finds more strains of infection resistant to drugs too.

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Note To Barry Bonds: Most Baseball Fans Don't Care About You Either

He embodies everything I see wrong with pro sports today - talent with egos to match.

Barry Bonds is 10 home runs short of Hank Aaron's record set in 1974. Trouble is - hardly anyone is paying attention - Barry.

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Broadcast Media: WE - HATE - COMMERCIALS!

I can't remember the last time I watched a movie on a commercial TV channel. The last network show I cared enough to watch (tape) in the past 10 years was E-R - with the original cast.

This AP article tells how the TV networks are trying (again) to get cute - instead of turning their news completely into infotainment - now it's commercials.

Geez Cletus - people aren't watching them! People aren't watching TV at all like they used to in fact.

Time was the local news leader got 30-something shares. Now the leader is fighting for a 20.

Content and commercials - not enough and too many - and TV executives seem to wallow around without so much as a clue.

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The Lights Are Bright In Dighton

The last post was a positive experience regarding a storm chaser. The following post also received on that chaser's mailing list goes the other direction of sorts - actually kind of funny when you visualize what he describes in your own Mind's Eye.

" On Tuesday, May 22, I was near Dighton, KS watching a towering cumulus grow into what would later become the supercell that crossed I-70 west of Wakeeny(sp). I went into town to get some gas and found only one station (actually a convenience store). As I arrived, a chaser convoy pulled in. There were several vehicles with the same sign on their doors, a DOW unit and an unusual-looking gray vehicle. I know who they are but don't see any reason to name names. That's not the point of this post.Some of the vehicles lined up at the pumps. There was at least one other vehicle parked in front of the store that may or may not have been with the convoy.
Meanwhile, a group of at least 20 chasers gathered in the parking lot. There was a video crew with a camera operator, boom operator (with long boom and big mic) and a couple assistants, or so. The video crew was running around shooting somebody in the group. During this time, I noticed that the convoy, and group of chasers, had blocked access to the convenience store. A line of citizen vehicles was starting to form on the street. Some citizens were trying to drive out of the parking lot but were at least partially blocked in. The folks on the street were getting unhappy. To me, it looked like a Hollywood production came to town and just set up shop without asking permission first. Some big cities actually require a permit for this.
Now, we all need gas. But, the problem with this situation was at least some of the chasers were self-absorbed in their own world and not paying attention to the real world. It was selfish and embarrassing.If you want to be a responsible chaser, you need to respect the citizens in the communities you pass through. It is their home. You are their guest. Please don't continue to degrade the reputation of chasers. Be courteous, kind, and thoughtful."

"Martin Lisius "
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Jon Person A Good Person

I was happy to see the following post from a weather-chaser's mailing list in my inbox. Seems this gentleman not only witnessed the Greensburg, KS. tornado - but went back to the town to help people clean it up.

MY kind of storm chaser Jon Person is!

"I witnessed the Greensburg tornado north of Protection, Kansas around 9:20PM. After seeing all the destruction that it did, I decided to take a few weeks off and volunteer in town from the 20th through the 31st to help out with debris removal. I have a photo journal of my daily jobs online now at "Flickr," at this address: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonperson/sets/72157600245914694.It's incredible at how much destruction took place in only twelve minutes, yet it's great to take part in the clean-up and see the town start to recover. It also feels good to talk with homeowners and residents about the fact I'm a chaser, while I help them, because they don't seem to share Kansas law enforcement's gripes with chasers this past week.If you want to get into Greensburg to take photos, you'll be turned away at the checkpoint unless you volunteer. Much help is needed to clean up the town, and I think it's a good experience for any weather enthusiast to see just how much damage a tornado can do. You can volunteer for even just an hour or two, and when you're done you can grab some pictures before leaving town. Every hour volunteered also counts towards debt relief of FEMA loans, so every little bit helps!I'm staying in Greensburg now for another few days, then I'll return home to Colorado. If you want to volunteer, instructions are posted below. Feel free to email if you have any Q's.Jon PersonHow to Volunteer In GreensburgIndividuals and groups can assist AmeriCorps with debris removal and other jobs throughout town subject to the approval of Greensburg and its law enforcement officers. Volunteers must call 211 (in Kansas) or 888-413-4327(out-of-state) prior to arrival. Arrive in Greensburg at the East entrance which is closest to the Volunteer Reception Center, a large red & white tent. Volunteers must be ready to present a driver's license and consent to a vehicle search to gain access at any checkpoint. Volunteers should bring solid work gloves, jeans, and prepare for hazardous environments, and cannot trespass without the property owner's consent. (If you get your jobs at the red & white tent, they'll take care of you.) The VRC opens at 8AM and closes at 5PM, and the city of Greensburg itself is under a curfew from 8AM to 8PM, at which time volunteers must leave town."

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American Politicians Could Take A Lesson From The Japanese

Japan's minister of agriculture committed 'hari-kiri' rather than face questions in some scandal.

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Local Man - Tom Wayne - Makes National News Wire

He's the fellow with a bookstore on West 39th Street in KC-MO. Sunday- he burned a bunch of books in a 55-gallon drum as "a protest" to people not reading books anymore.

He drew attention alright - as well as 4 TV news crews and the fire and police departments for having an open fire that was not a BBQ (if only they had marshmallows!).

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The Corn-Based Ethanol Romance

As an "alternative" to our addiction to 3rd-World oil supplies - now it's using corn to make the bio-fuel ethanol or 'moonshine petro.'

Trouble is - corn uses LOTS of fresh water- energy & pesticides to grow. Corn is also a vital component in food products - corn syrup for example - and feed for farm animals.

We're now seeing that corresponding rise in corn prices reflected in the cost of food. On top of the rising fuel costs also passed on to what we pay for food and everything else.

It's a known fact that with the present engine technology - cars using ethanol blends just so happen to get LESS miles per gallon.

So you are probably - over the long run - paying the same as one driving on regular gasoline. On top of paying more for food.

There are other bio-fuels being developed - some utilizing a diverse range of plants from switchgrass to "Butanol" made from sugar beets.

We need to look closely at countries like Brazil - using bio-fuels - they are virtually independent of The Oil Cartel. Brazil mainly utilizes sugar cane & it's after-manufacture by-products to produce their bio-fuels.

Most of all- we need a firm direction on alternative energy sources from our leadership since at least 2001 and for sure 1973.

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In Memorial - 2007

To those friends and loved ones no longer with us since the last Memorial Day.

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Johnson County MO Vehicle Pursuit Results In 3 Dead

Here's how the MO Highway Patrol reported the wreck FIRST broken on this blog this morning:

"FATALITY ACCIDENT. NEXT OF KIN NOTIFIED. OCCURED AS VEH1 WAS FAILING TO YIELD TO A KNOB NOSTER POLICE OFFICER. VEH1 TRAVELLED OFF RIGHT SIDE OF ROADWAY, STRUCK A FENCE AND A TREE. ALL THREE WERE PRONOUNCED ON SCENE AT 0830 BY CORONER CLARK HOLDREN."

Victims are: HAYES, STEPHEN K - MALE- 13-YEARS-OF-AGE - INJURIES: FATAL - USING VEHICLE RESTRAINTS: YES - HOME: WARRENSBURG, MISSOURI - STATUS IN VEHICLE: OCCUPANT.

LAKEY, CHRISTIAN A - MALE - 12-YEARS-OF-AGE - INJURIES: FATAL - USING VEHICLE RESTRAINTS: YES - HOME:WARRENSBURG, MISSOURI - STATUS IN VEHICLE: OCCUPANT.

RIVERS, WALTER R - MALE - 31-YEARS-OF-AGE - INJURIES: FATAL - USING VEHICLE RESTRAINTS: YES - HOME:WARRENSBURG, MISSOURI - STATUS IN VEHICLE: DRIVER.

NOTE: This accident report was not released until late Sunday afternoon.

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Emergence Of The 13 & 17-Year Cicadas Food For Thought...

As well as food for zoo animals. They're the song of summer.

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Will It Have An Enterprise Revolving Restaurant?

Klaatu barada nikto!
UFO Central in the U.S. of A. Roswell, New Mexico is considering a UFO theme-park.

I hope they don't use the phrase "Our Rides Are Out Of This World."
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Whale Of A Personality? Two and NOAA Need You

Scientists are at a loss on how to get the mother and child whales out of the Sacramento River delta back into the Pacific. They are even asking people with suggestions on how-to email them.

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The Kansas City MetroRegion Overnight News and Weather Report - Sunday, May 27, 2007

*** POSSIBLY 2 DEAD IN JOHNSON COUNTY, MO. CRASH ***

>>> The 1-vehicle crash was found around 5 am Sunday morning in the 200 block of Northeast M-23 Highway.

About 10 minutes after dispatch - a unit arrives on the scene and reports "2" people involved - "one trapped" in the vehicle and one outside "unresponsive."

Two medical helicopters are ordered - then cancelled about 10 minutes later. The MO. Highway Patrol had sent a unit to the scene for the report - I'll post that here later when available.

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** Kansas City, KS. Wreck Injures 4 **

... A 1-vehicle wreck injured four Hispanic males in their 20's around 1 am.

It happened on westbound I-70 and 7th Street in KC-KS.. Paramedics report the men were in a pickup truck that "rolled at least once" and came to rest again a concrete divider. One man's injuries were critical - one other's serious and the remaining two's injuries lesser.

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**Man Shot In KC-MO.**

At 35 minutes after midnight- it's announced a person has been shot in the area of Independence Avenue and Benton.

Police find the victim behind a building in the 3400 block of The Avenue. That victim is a "20-year-old male- shot in the right (shoulder)" according to a MAST-EMS paramedic. He was rushed to a trauma center.

Police are seeking "four Hispanic males" including the trigger-man among them.

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**Fire Damages Vacant KC-MO House**

The alarm to 5 fire companies went out at 4:14am to a house fire in the 5400 block of East 27th Street.
The fire was brought under control at 4:19am- with no injuries. A fire investigator responded because someone had set trash inside the house on fire.

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<><><>OVERNIGHT WEATHER<><><>

Off and on rainshowers moved through the Metro all night. Amounts ranged from a few hundreths of an inch to almost 3-inches.

Torrential rains of 2 to 3-inches produced brief flash flooding in Gladstone late Saturday night. Around 11pm- police there reported "a car stalled in 2 feet of water" but the occupants got away unharmed.

Winds were nearly calm overnight with temperatures in the middle-60's.

More showers and again - perhaps a thundershower - today through Wednesday. Temperatures with the cloud cover will stay around normal - in the middle 70's for highs.

Any storm activity mid-week may have severe weather & flood-producing potential over the Kansas City MetroRegion into Kansas.

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First with Metro Kansas City Breaking News - NBC41 ACTION NEWS.
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"No- I'm Not Bi- I Only Speak English"

Down in northern Florida - home of the wildfire smoke - they're singing the last line of The Flintstones' theme song.

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Two Kansas City, Kansas Boys Socially-Aware Cartoonists

Now here's a news story we can enjoy for a change - two local youth - using their talents to raise awareness of issues. Bully for you Kamaal & Malcolm!!
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AP: "8 U.S. Troops Killed in Iraq"

An especially sad Memorial Day for the friends & families of 8 more American soldiers. May The Great Spirit be with them in their grief.

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Dr. Jack Kevorkian A Free Man June 1

We wonder where Dr. Jack will be knockin' em' dead next too...

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