Saturday- September 1- 2007 - NEWS inDIGESTion

* BOISE-ID - Senator Larry Craig resigned his Senate seat after his sex charge at the Minneapolis airport in June. Craig was last seen in a rowboat- floating down denial.

* BAGHDAD-IRAQ - You might hear the liars tell you that things in Iraq aren't going that bad or that this folly is even - ahem- winnable.
August was the 2nd-deadliest month of the entire 4-year-plus fiasco- with around 1800 Iraqis dead.
Ah okay- I see- it could have been the WORST month- but it wasn't. Spin on....

* KABUL-AFGHANISTAN - While "scores of Afghan insurgents are killed" according to this report- no mention of the scores of youth ready to take the dead insurgents' places.

* OAKLAND-CA - Oakland Catholics will soon be moving into their new $190-million digs - while certain agnostics wonder how many people $190-million might have fed- clothed and housed "in the name of God."

* DURHAM-NC - The former prosecutor who tried to railroad the Duke lacrosse players on bogus rape charges- Mike Nifong- will himself get the opportunity to become some inmate's girlfriend in jail.

* KERNVILLE-CA - An entire family of 6 perished when their light plane crashed and burned Friday evening.

* KANSAS CITY-MO - Sports fans are shocked that at the beginning of the last month of the baseball season that the K.C. Royals are NOT in last place. That dishonor goes to the Chicago White Sox.

The Captain thanks his readers and wishes you a safe & fun Labor Day holiday!

U.S. Government Reaches New Low - Disaster Volunteerism Discouraged

Now it seems if there's a major disaster and John & Jane Goodcitizen want to go help- forget it.

The Feds want to discourage people just "showing up" at disaster scenes- even though many disaster scenes need lots of people fast.

Some civilians who showed up at the WTC Sept. 11- 2001 were- in some cases- more efficient than the "pros."

I've seen some really DUMB crap come out the government's yap over the past 50 years- don't this take the cake- our government discouraging citizens to help others when they most need it....

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The Kansas City MetroRegion Overnight News and Weather Report - Saturday, September 1, 2008

* THREE SHOT IN LEE'S SUMMIT-MO *

*** Three people were shot- at least two of them teenaged males- during a disturbance at a reported party in a rented facility early Saturday morning.

It happened in the 500 block of Northwest Commerce Drive around 1:30am. Police arrived to find a "large crowd"- "2" gunshot victims- and "a suspect"- who they chased on foot a short distance and apprehended.

One of the victims was a 16-year-old according to a paramedic. That victim had been shot in the chest- but his condition enroute to an area trauma center appeared only to be serious. The other victim was "a 19-year-old" who was shot in a foot.

The 3rd victim apparently was driven to a Lee's Summit hospital police said. There was no information yet on that victim.

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* NO INJURIES REPORTED IN A LAWRENCE-KS DUPLEX FIRE *

*** This alarm was sounded at 1:50am to a "structure fire" in the 4000 block of West 26th Terrace. Four Lawrence Fire companies responded- and it was a working fire in a duplex here.

Firefighters didn't find anyone inside and the fire was under control about 30 minutes later.

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

Skies overnight were crystal clear with some of the coolest temperatures in more than two months- as low as the mid-50's in some valley areas of the Kansas City MetroRegion.

An excellent day is in store today thoughout the MetroRegion and the 6 Central States: Missouri- Kansas- Nebraska- Iowa- Oklahoma and Arkansas.

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Kansas City's Breaking News Leader - NBC41 ACTION NEWS.
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"Tropical Depression 6" To Become A Hurricane

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami-FL says "Tropical Depression 6" will really become depressing for those in the Carribean tropics- as it's forecast to become a hurricane.

As you can see by the NHC image map- this storm should be named Felix very soon- and seems at this time to be taking a similar track south of the one Hurricane Dean took- but bear in mind that this storm could track anywhere inside the white area along it's forecasted path.

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Citizen Letter From KC-MO's Mayor: "Notes From Funk's Front Porch" XIII

Funk's Front Porch

31 August 2007

Dear Folks,

This week’s city business:

The Economic Development and Incentive Task Force wrapped up their work on Wednesday. They have come up with a TIF policy that will guide the Council and EDC in making decisions regarding our City’s future. This is a monumental step in the right direction for the City. There have been concerted efforts to develop such a policy over the years, once by Councilmen Evert Asjes and Ed Ford, but their hard fought efforts fell by the wayside. Now the new Council has a chance to enact a policy that reflects the values within the community. The policy will come up for council vote in September.

There continues to be issue with the appointment of Frances Semler to the Parks Board because of her membership in the Minutemen, a national organization that deals with illegal immigration issues. Some members of the Hispanic community feel Mrs. Semler’s membership with the Minutemen is grounds for her removal from the Parks Board. Now La Raza, a Hispanic rights group, is threatening to pull their 2009 convention out of Kansas City to show their disapproval. Funk maintains that if anyone, including Mrs. Semler, exhibits racial tendencies while serving on one of his boards that he will immediately ask for their resignation. So far, the feedback on Mrs. Semler’s service on the board has been complimentary.

Funk is trying to move past this. He continues to meet monthly with Hispanic leaders in an effort to find solutions to improve conditions within their community. And he continues to strive for diversity within his boards. This City has been horribly divided for a long time, but Funk is doing his level best to help remedy that. Of course it is human nature to second-guess leaders, but in time I believe we will see evidence of Funk’s effort in uniting us. The key, I think, is increasing citizen satisfaction with city services. In the end, we all want the same things: a responsive government, clean streets and sidewalks, safe neighborhoods and a thriving economy.

On a more personal note:

This has been a slow week as Funk is in Portland, Oregon, partaking in college orientation activities with our son Andrew. I am not with them as my son witnessed my goodbye to his sister three years ago and didn’t think he could cope with his own jittery nerves and his mother’s tears at the same time. I am hoping that Funk and I can take the train to visit him next month after he is all settled in.

I have been working on a surprise for Funk ever since he left Kansas City on Tuesday. Believe it or not, but we’ve never unpacked his boxes since moving them up here on May 1st. There simply hasn’t been time. We just put the boxes in the corner and took off running full tilt. Needless to say, organizing his surroundings was long overdue. I cannot wait to see the look on his face when he glimpses his “new” office later today. I know he’s going to love it. It’s so beautiful and peaceful with all of his own belongings tucked in there now.

Until next week,

In faith,
Gloria & Mark

You can respond to this newsletter at funksfrontporch@gmail.com.

Please help us by forwarding this email to as many people as you think might want to be more informed about their city government. They can sign up to receive the newsletter at http://www.blogger.com/www.funksfrontporch.com.

The Mayor’s top ten priorities:

1. Establishing a good working relationship with the Council
2. Getting the City’s finances in order
3. Making downtown work
4. Tending to our neighborhoods
5. Implementing the Housing Policy task force recommendations
6. Improving the perception and the reality of public education in Kansas City
7. Reducing Crime
8. Repairing our sewer systems
9. Establishing an excellent regional transit system, which includes light rail
10. Improving citizen satisfaction with City services.

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National Hurricane Center Statement - Could This Be Felix

If this develops into a tropical storm- it would be named Felix...

SPECIAL TROPICAL DISTURBANCE STATEMENT
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL 910 AM AST FRI AUG 31 2007

SATELLITE IMAGES AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATE THAT THE TROPICAL WAVE AND ASSOCIATED LOW PRESSURE AREA LOCATED ABOUT 250 MILES EAST OF THE WINDWARD ISLANDS COULD BE DEVELOPING INTO A TROPICAL DEPRESSION.

AN AIR FORCE RESERVE HURRICANE HUNTER WILL INVESTIGATE THE SYSTEM EARLY THIS AFTERNOON TO CONFIRM IF A DEPRESSION HAS FORMED.

WATCHES AND WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PORTIONS OF THE WINDWARD ISLANDS...AND ALL INTERESTS IN THAT AREA SHOULD BE READY TO TAKE QUICK ACTION...IF NECESSARY. REGARDLESS OF DEVELOPMENT...HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL SPREAD OVER THE WINDWARD ISLANDS LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT.

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Old Days: The Ice Cream Truck And Summer Nights

I was surfing when a wave of nostalgia swept over me. Somehow- I got to thinking of the ice cream trucks that used to come around the neighborhoods.

Oh- we still have one around here - but they just sell the frozen in a wrap or carton varieties.

I recall the days when bread delivery-sized trucks would roll by with names like Mister Softee and Tasty-Freeze and you could get a real- honest-to-God soft-serve ice cream cone- or a made-as-you-ordered sundae- or banana split.

I remember the old Dairy Queens with the walk-up windows. Heck- for Saturday evening entertainment we kids would go watch the people at DQ dip cones. In some small towns I hear they still do that...

I miss the old 'Mugs-Up' drive-ins too. The summer nights the family would leave the un-air-conditioned house- pile into the un-air-conditioned car and ride for an ice-cold root beer in a frosted mug.

Then there were the drive-in theaters.
Dad knew the value of one price for a family of 8 to see first-run movies. The station wagon would become a camper those nights as well as a catch-all for the homemade goodies we brought.

Grandpa was right- they don't call 'em the good-old days until you're old- and running out of days.

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Labor Day Free Music In Independence-MO

It's the annual SantaCaliGon Days festival in Independence-MO celebrating the 3 trails that American pioneers took West- the Santa Fe- California & Oregon Trails.

It's on Indy's Square which is south of Truman Road and west of Noland a few blocks.

Starting tonight at 9:30pm it's the "LoCash Cowboys."

Saturday at 7:15pm it's "Jason Michael Carroll" playing and at 9pm it's national recording star "Mark Chesnutt."

Sunday- see "The Bellamy Brothers" for free at 9pm and on Monday- Labor Day- it's the Beatle tribute band "Liverpool" at 2:30pm. (guess where I be Monday? g)

It's the last holiday of summer- and I wish you all peace and a ton of enjoyment!

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State Of Louisiana Purges Voter Rolls - NCAAP Challenges

Louisiana recently purged it's voter rosters of those "thought" to have registered in other states after being uprooted by Hurricane Katrina 2 years ago.

The State needs to give more "thought" to this process- as the NCAAP has challenged Louisiana over that decision- bringing in a three- federal judge panel to look over the action.

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"Ghetto Handbook" Not Welcome In Houston-TX Schools

The AP reports that the booklet "Ghetto Handbook" was "handed out to 15" Houston school district police officers last May- and that book's distribution is just now coming under fire from school district officials.

Maybe in addition to drug screens- they should do sensitivity testing on school police candidates?

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Cities Back Off Costly Wi-Fi Plans

The cities can't afford it and the one American firm doing the installations- EarthNet- says it can't continue to subsidize the Wi-Fis after a $45 million loss last quarter.

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Meredith Hoenes

I see on another media site in town where people rag on Meredith- KSHB Action41 morning news and K.C. LIVE! co-anchor. That's BS!

Back during our spring cold wave- old podner Frank Pastafasul's car broke down on I-470. Who of hundreds of passing cars stop to help Frank?

Yep- it was Meredith. And she didn't just drive him to a gas station- but drove him home.

People accuse Meredith of being too wrapped up in herself- horsecrap! Seems to me she wraps herself up in other people's problems too- or at least comes to their aid.

Well Meredith- you have at least 2 "fans" out here. Keep on keepin' on lady!

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Friday - August 31- 2007 - NEWS inDIGESTion

* DES MOINES-IA - A Polk county judge ruled that he will allow same-sex marriages in the county- while the county attorney wants to bring a halt to all this with an injunction against the judge's ruling.

* DENVER-CO - A federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit brought by "out-of-state" students against the State of Kansas.
Those students claimed it was unfair that illegal immigrants IN Kansas got in-state or lower tuitions.
Here's the kicker- those illegals only got an in-state tuition if they followed the general rules in addtion those must also pledge they are working toward getting American citizenship.
I wonder what's to keep them from getting a degree and leaving anyway?

* SAN FRANCISCO-CA - A Kenyan woman was married to an American. Her American husband dies trying to save 2 boys from ocean currents. To show it's gratitude- the American government wants to ship the widowed wife- Jacqueline Coats- back to Kenya. How freaking screwball is this? We let tens of millions of illegals in here- do very little to nothing to take care of that mess- now this woman that was HERE LEGALLY- MARRIED TO AN AMERICAN is threatened with deportation.
CAN WE SEND DUBYA IN HER PLACE AND LET THE WOMAN STAY????

* ALTON-TX - The police chief of this small South Texas town won't be holding any parties for his employees anytime soon. Chief Jose Luis Vela was being held on $200000 bond after being charged with sexually molesting employees passed out at parties at the Chief's home.

* NEW HAVEN-CT - World Wrestling Entertainment or the WWE has suspended 10 of their wrestlers because of drug use.

* LONDON-ENGLAND - Today marks the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death in a car crash in Paris- France.

* KANSAS CITY-MO - The sorry excuse for an NFL franchise lost again- to St. Louis..

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Interesting Hypothosis Regarding 2012

This morning's 5-6am CDT segment of Rick Barber's After Midnight talk show on KOA-850AM Denver was "UFOlogist Jaysen Q. Rand, Ph.D." who talked of "the return of Planet X" which is actually a brown drawf star companion to our Sun and also on "the universal changes coming in 2012."

Go to the KOA Webpage HERE to download an MP3 of the show (labelled "4am" MDT).

Guess I will hold off buying any 10-year T-bonds....

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Terror By Telephone- Rash Of Threats To Stores In America

The FBI says they're on it- finding the person or persons calling stores and markets across America threatening to blow them up if the store's employees don't wire money to overseas accounts.

Incredibly- employees at one store actually DID wire money- and those at other places called by the phone terrorists have mostly followed their voice instructions. One of the stores called was a Dillon's grocery store in Hutchinson-KS..

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Thursday - August 30- 2007 - NEWS inDIGESTion

* RICHMOND-VA - A panel convened to study the deadly Virginia Tech shootings last spring has come to a conclusion.
Their conclusion?
Had university officials acted faster in notifying the campus of the 2 earlier shooting victims in a dorm that fateful morning- the toll from the classroom shootings later that morning may have been less.
Other news from Hindsight 20-20: "Were "ifs" and "buts" candy and nuts- we'd all have a Merry Christmas...."

* WASHINGTON D.C. - A government agency both feared and respected by other government agencies- the General Accounting Office or GAO- has come out with their OWN Report on Iraq and it's much what those of us who read in-depth on these things have also concluded: Nothing much is going right in Iraq.
We now return you to America's Nap- starring J. Fred Muggs- already in progress....

* ATLANTA-GA - Richard Jewell- the security guard wrongly accused of the 1996 bombing at an Olympic venue in Atlanta- has died at the age of 44.
The man was wrongly tried and convicted by many in the American news media- nobody ran just as big of headlines saying he was NOT the one who did it- and Jewell spent the rest of his life that's now over trying to recover his good name.

* PHOENIX-AZ - America's Queen City of Caliente has set a new annual record for days of 110-degrees Fahrenheit or greater at 29 days. The previous record was 28 days at 100 or higher set in 1970 and tied in 2002.

* VARVASAINA-GREECE - One of life's most terrifying moments is to have a firestorm raging around you. Read an AP writer's experience with such a horror in one of Greece's wildfires.

* BAGHDAD-IRAQ - According to the latest count by the Associated Press- as of Wednesday- 3732 Americans have died in Iraq.
Both Osama bin Laden and general sanity regarding any logical foriegn policy remains elusive....

* KANSAS CITY-MO - The city's Parks Board of Commissioners has already caused political-newcomer Mayor Mark Funkhouser grief by the activities of one of the Mayor's appointees.
Now the Board has further embarrassed Funkhouser and itself by it's antics in it's last meeting by disregarding a group of citizens who appeared to promote another "dog park" in the city.

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Kansas City's Dog Days Of "Open" Government

A group of people are chez-upset over the way they were treated at a Parks Board meeting the other night.

You can read all about one person's description of that meeting at Mark's The Kansas City Post titled "An open letter regarding the proposed Waldo Dog Park."

A group of people wanted a section of a southwest K.C. park- Sunnyside- to be set aside for a dog park. One such park exists now- inside Penn Valley Park near downtown.

From all accounts- the park board refused to hear any citizen testimony in the matter and by those accounts it seems that meeting represented a totally opposite approach to Mayor Mark Funkhouser's "open government."

I have yet to see "an official" response to what sounds to me like utter rudeness on the Parks Board's part. The Mayor IS completely accountable on this one.

Was all of Mr. Funkhouser's campaign rhetoric for real or have we Kansas City Missourians been hosed ... again?

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What's This World Coming To- A Young Man From Skidmore-MO Missing

I was asked by Linda- "a family advocate" of Branson Perry- if I would post the missing poster you see below.

Please- visit the family's Website HERE and if you have ANY information regarding this young man- please contact the listed telephone numbers.

The Captain wants to help stamp out societal degeneration. Send your information/posters of missing people to this Web site for posting.

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Wednesday - August 29 - 2007 - NEWS inDIGESTion

Apologize for the delay of today's posts- you understand even the Captain needs a brief solo-sail away from it all. Now- on with the secular festivities!


* NEW ORLEANS - It is probably one the most significant "anniversaries" this city has to remember. No one will be celebrating however.
Just after dawn on August 29- 2005- the eye of powerful Hurricane Katrina came ashore just 30 miles east of the Big Easy- and the storm surge and winds blasted over and through New Orlean's defensive levee system.
Katrina killed more than 1600 people and is to this day America's most destructive hurricane. Many areas in New Orleans- and along the affected Gulf coast- remain to be cleaned up- let alone rebuilt.

* BOISE-ID - There seems to be 2 schools of reactions people have after getting caught doing something wrong: Remorse or denial.
Republicrat U.S. Senator Larry Craig was caught in a bathroom of the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport trying to have a sexual encounter with an undercover cop.
Craig has taken the denial route regarding this- pardon the bad pun- (would-be) affair.

* MIDDLE EASTERN PORTION OF PLANET EARTH - The Taliban- an organization long unknown for any humanitarian acts- has reportedly released the 8 South Korean hostages they had taken in Afghanistan. Maybe it's their new ad agency- suggesting to Taliban's leaders "you've got to WIN their hearts- not killing 'em...."

... The American military has released and apologized to a group of Iranians- that included "2 diplomats"- who were detained in Baghdad after "illegal weapons" were found in their vehicle.
No comment on whether the "illegal weapons" were returned to the Iranians.

... Also in Baghdad- Iraq's Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr said he was calling off his army- not citing a shortage of ammunition.

* STOCKHOLM- SWEDEN - "Keith can't get no- sat- is- fact-shun" after Mr. Richard and band's "bad reviews of a performance" in this Nordic nation early this year.

* FORT MEADE-MD - The lead military officer in the Iraq Abu Ghraib prison abuse affair has received "a reprimand" by a military jury for his actions. No word if a slap on the hand was also administered.

* CHAMPAIGN-IL - Police have 3 students in custody here- after 6 handguns were found in their school lockers.

* KANSAS CITY-MO - Police have a young woman in custody after she attempted 3 times to flush her newborn child down a toilet of the Midtown McDonald's where she worked.

The good news is that the newborn is expected to survive..

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Health And Money - Government Bad News- Good News

Or I give you the good news first...

According to the AP story from the U.S. Census- the percentage of people (reporting to be) in poverty dropped from 12. 6% in 2005 to 12.3% in 2006 (didn't the around quarter-million Katrina-displaced/povertized Gulf residents count?).

OK - that was the "good" news.

The bad news is that now- according to America's Very Own Census bureau- the NUMBER OF AMERICANS WITH NO HEALTH INSURANCE INCREASED- TO A STAGGERING 47 MILLION PEOPLE.


Imagine just ten percent of that number- 4.7 million people- marching on Washington and demanding change.

Speaking of change- gotta check under some sofa cushions- peace-out....

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From The Kansas City MetroRegion Blogroll...

By all means I don't have time to even read a fraction of all the local bloggers out there- let alone know who-all is out there somewhere.

Here's a few things being cussed and discussed by some bloggers I read...

Xavier Onassis- (think about it g) - the "Hip Suburban White Guy"- is royally POed.
There was a suspicious death of the childbirthing wife of a Lee's Summit police officer Horner and XO thinks the investigation has been- to put it mildly- dragging it's feet.

Speaking of "Mild"- Dan over at Gone Mild offers us advice to avoid wasting our alcohol money on a yukky beer.

You can read about and weigh in on all matters Kansas City light rail at KCLightRail.com.

Lastly- not-related-to-Willie "William Rockhill Nelson" on BlogKC says political bottom-feeder Jeff Roe-not-Rove has him some new digs near where another high-office-seeking-candidate-I-won't-vote-for- Kay Barnes- lives.

Gee Bill- I'm playing the old Chi-Lites tune "We Are Neighbors" especially for this occasion!

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Former Russian Leader Stalin's Grandaughter Dies

If you read history like cool- interconnecting novels the way I do- you pretty much know by the things Russian dictator Joe Stalin did he was- if nothing else- ruthless.

For reason/reasons inexplicable- one of my political "heroes"- Harry Truman- liked Stalin.

Imagine being related to Joe Stalin. His grand-daughter- Galina Dzhugashvili- didn't have to imagine- and doesn't have to worry about that or anything anymore as she passed on - to join Grandpa for all we know...

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Israel- Switzerland Among Countries Helping Fight Deadly Greece Fires

It's now an international effort to help quell natural-cover fires that rage over more than half of the nation of Greece.

More than 60 people have been killed- hundreds injured and thousands evacuated and/or homeless due to the wildfires- a number of which are claimed to have been started by arsonists.

(Associated Press photos)

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New Missouri Abortion Law Blocked By Federal Judge

Missouri lawmakers had attempted to put a skid on legal abortions in the state by dropping a new requirement that such facilities performing such procedures now be licensed as outpatient surgical centers. Here's the story where a federal judge in Kansas City-MO has overturned that requirement.

I had no problem with that- the problem was the "dropping" part. You can't change the rules to the game without giving the opponent time to adjust to the rules- you non drug-tested lawmaking morons.

I'm getting rather tired of the holier-than-thou legislating the goings-on with people's bodies! The Planned Parenthood I always knew counseled the scared- confused pregnant female to make the right desicion for both them and the fetus.

I've heard stories of illegal abortions in the eastern Oklahoma hill country during the 1930's. It was happening everywhere. Do we want to regress this issue too back to those days?

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Oh- Thank You Great Spirit For A Lovely Eclipse

As I post this- the eclipse of the moon is virtually full- it looks like a semi-stationary balloon that's inner lit with dull orange on top with a sliver of brightness from bottom of the Moon's 5 to about 9 o'clock position. Even the newspaper carrier stopped to watch it for a few minutes.

As an added treat- about 5 minutes before totality- a meteorite shot through my left field of view as I watched the fading Moon through binoculars.

Until the moon reached 3/4-eclipse- I only went out every 5-10 minutes or so to watch it for a few. One thing that was starkly noticable was the appearance of more and more stars as the Moon was less and less full.

One of the wonders of the Universe- and this really made my day (since my day is night anyway g) .

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CENTRAL STATES WEATHER: NWS-SPC: "Slight Risk" Of Severe Storms - N-MI to SW-KS.

Today through Wednesday morning's severe storm outlook area covers a swath from Michigan's Upper Peninsula through Wisconsin- Minnesota- Iowa- Nebraska into southwestern Kansas (click on image to enlarge).

Main severe threats will be strong outflow wind- some large-sized hail and an isolated tornado- especially in the northern parts of the risk area closer to the stronger upper wind flows.

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Tuesday- August 28- 2007 - NEWS inDIGESTion

* RICHMOND-VA - Former Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has pleaded to his stupidity- and like a full book of Green Stamps- Vick promises to "redeem himself"- whatever the Hell THAT means....

* AUSTIN-TX - A suspect in the Monday morning discovery of 4 persons murdered in a home in N.W. Austin was arrested in Long Island-NY after a brief standoff with police there. The suspect was being questioned in regard to other murders in TX and PA....

* ALBUQUERQUE- NM - Another motorcycle cop in a Dubya motorcade has died of injuries. Rio Rancho motorcycle officer Germaine Casey- 40- died in the crash of his bike at an underground parking garage at the city's airport.

* MINNEAPOLIS-MN - A U.S. senator- Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho- was charged with "disorderly conduct" after being arrested early this month at the MSP airport. No word if any other senators charged with possible job malfeasence..

* JACKSON-MS - Another "research group"- this one called "The Trust for America's Health" says of all 50 states- the people in Mississippi are "the fattest." Strange- I thought all the FATHEADS by far were in D.C....

* WASHINGTON - Now Dubya scrambles to find a non-Bush Administration-corrupted Attorney General. The big money is on Duyba having a swim in De Nile..

* KANSAS CITY - Thousands (well- one anyway) take to their yards on a clear and warm late summer morning to watch the longest total lunar eclipse in several years. Enjoy everybody!.

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Up- And Waiting For The Eclipse

Ok- I' m ready- and the skies are clear as a bell over K.C. right now.

Remembering- mosquitoes are most active around sunrise and sunset.

Here's the current water vapor satellite image for the Central U.S.- the whiter-colors indicate cloudiness- darker areas are clear skies.

Happy viewing everybody- anyone wanting to share any pix of the eclipse- send them to me and I'll post 'em....

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American Home Sales Lowest In 5 Years

Even though most of us know decent housing in decent neighborhoods was getting waaaaaaaaay out-of-price- according to this AP article- home prices have been "dropping for the past 12 months."

Now- it's reportedly the 5th-straight month that home sales have dropped- putting home sales in America at it's lowest pace since 2002.

Hell- it's a buyer's market now with so many foreclosures. I lose count of all those and the for sale signs and U-Haul trucks are abundant on weekends...

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Memphis Mississippi River Interstate Highway Bridge Closed

It's reported the Interstate-40 Mississippi River bridge was closed early today- because a bridge support pier had "sunk nearly 4 inches" overnight on the West Memphis or Arkansas side.

The bridge was undergoing general refurbishing and earthquake-retrofitting. Traffic has been detoured to the nearby I-55 bridge.

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CENTRAL STATES BREAKING NEWS: Barricaded Gunman With Possible Hostages In Louisville-KY Bank

It's a National City bank in Louisville at a reported bank robbery gone awry.

At 9am CDT was the last word from the suspect inside and how many- if any- people that suspect was holding is not yet known.

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1055 CDT UPDATE- From the WHAS-840AM Web site- it's reported a "gunman is holding a teller" at a mall branch of the bank.

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1140 CDT UPDATE- From WHAS- shortly before noon EDT- the gunman "ran out a back door" of the bank and was shot by officers after the gunman reportedly "raised a gun" at them.
The suspect also reportedly had "several tellers" hostage- but had released them prior to the gunman's attempted escape.

1330CDT AP UPDATE HERE..

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One Dead After North Dakota Town Struck By A Tornado

According to NWS storm reports- an eastern North Dakota home of just under a thousand people- Northwood- was struck by a tornado just after 8:50pm Sunday night.

Associated Press and other news sources are now reporting one dead in the town and at least 18 injured. Heavy damage was reported throughout the small town and the 57-year-old victim was found in a destroyed mobile home park.

No F-rating of the tornado yet.

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Four Found Dead In A N.W. Austin-TX House

Police are investigating after they found 4 people dead in NW Austin-TX Monday morning.

The deceased were found in an area of "high-dollar" houses between Lago Vista and Jonestown.

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U.S. BREAKING NEWS: Attorney General Resigns - Asian Baseball Little Leaguers Escape Bus Fire In PA

I don't know which story relieves me more...

Embattled U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has resigned- apparently from a relocated White House to Crawford TX since that's where the story's dateline was.

------

Also of relief is that 2 teams of Little League World Series players are okay after the bus carrying them to the airport caught fire this morning. It happened outside of Lewisburg-PA and the teams were 2nd-place Japan and from Taipei.

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Looks Like A Mostly Clear Night For A Total Lunar Eclipse Central And South-Central States

Reminding all astronomy buffs- or those IN the buff since it'll be a warm morning (no lights- please)- of the fairly-rare total eclipse of the moon tommorow morning- peaking in the Central States just before dawn.

There could be a pig in the viewing oinkment with clouds and scattered areas of precip from Nebraska and Iowa northward to the Canadian border.

Otherwise- except for local-area clouds- no widespread viewing obstructions most other areas

(Eclipse image courtesy of http://zuserver2.star.ucl.ac.uk/~apod/apod/ap010118.html.)

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Overland Park On A Sunny- Warm Late Summer Monday Morning

This is south from 87th Street along Metcalf.

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Hulk Hogan's Son Badly Hurt In Crash

Those of you who watch cable's "Hogan Knows Best" or just like wrassling will especially be concerned that Hulk's son Nick Bollea (Hogan's real last name) was seriously hurt in a vehicle crash in Clearwater-FL Sunday night.

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Monday- August 27 2007 NEWS inDIGESTion

* NEW YORK - Now that the book has been yanked from his profit- the public is a little more interested in O.J. SImpson's "(If) I Did It."
Pre-orders for the book have already made it to the Barnes & Noble's Top 50 list- and they won't sell it in stores..

* BAGHDAD - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki gives a kind of 'up yours!' to his critics and pretty much America's stay that never ends. Meanwhile- the Associated Press counts American dead in the Prime Minister's country at 3728 as of Sunday...

* TEHRAN- IRAN - From a report Sunday- the world is told this Middle Eastern nation continues playing with atomic energy.

* LONDON - Even though she's been invited by Chas & Diana's sons- Prince Chas's latest wife- Camilla the Duchess of Cornball- says she isn't going to the 10th-anniversary memorial services for the late Princess Diana. Camilla fears an unfavorable reaction by the public if she appears.

* HUNTINGTON-UTAH - 21 Days. That's how long it's been since a mine here collapsed- entombing 6 miners. Before they have a ceremony- play Jimmy Dean's 'Big John' one last time and put up some monument- workers have bored yet another hole trying to locate the men.

* WASHINGTON - Congress now wants 100% screening of ships coming to U.S. ports. Critics and 60 Minutes have long known how easy it is to get a nuclear device into a cargo container.

* KANSAS CITY - Fires in vacant buildings and non-fatal car wrecks overnight. Funny- you don't see much of these on weekend newscasts.

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New Orleans Katrina Recovery "A National Disgrace"

Those are not my words- though I felt them during the heroic (Coast Guard- Navy & National Guard) but sparse rescue efforts in the first 48 hours after Katrina.

Associated Press editor Brian Schwaner is a native of The Big Easy and is calling-out political & corporate America.

According to Mr. Schwaner- New Orleans' recovery from Hurricane Katrina- August 29- 2005 remains "a national disgrace."

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Greece Fires

There has been an incredible series of natural cover fires in the nation of Greece.

Forty-two major fires rage- more than half of Greece is on fire- said a Grecian fire spokes- person.

One huge pyre is burning at some of Greece's famed and historic ruins.

The Captain will perform his rain dance for Greece as he did for Australia last year....

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Independence Residents Want Out Of KC-MO School District

And who the Hell can blame them?

I said more than 20 years ago to flies on the wall that the faltering KC-MO School District should be carved-up to the closest next districts.

Residents in western Independence- that part of Harry Truman's town still inside the KC-MO district's boundaries- want to seceed from the KC-MO district.

They have more than the necessary number of signatures on petitions to force the issue to a public vote- but both school districts - Independence and KC-MO- must agree to put the issue on a ballot.

KC-MO's district does not want that issue up for a vote. The KC-MO district is wrong.

People continue to move their children out of KC-MO in droves- this I know as fact from neighbors here in the Hickman Mills district.

After these Independence residents have gone though the "establishment" process- the Captain supports those residents 100-percent.

For the most part- the KC-MO School District is a farce- and those residents should be given their American right to vote on this issue.

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Current USA Weather Map

These are kinda neat- found HERE for your personal pleasure.

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Total Lunar Eclipse Early Tuesday For Central - Western North - South America - Australia- Pacific- NZ

Beginning at 3:51am Central Daylight Time Tuesday morning- there will be a total lunar eclipse.

If skies are clear- the eclipse will be visible in North and South America- Pacific islands- eastern Asia- Australia and New Zealand.

There should be some nice photos at http://www.spaceweather.com/

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Port Aransas Rock 'N' Roll

Thought I'd share a photo from a recent performance of The Perry Wing Band - in Port Aransas- Texas.I think it was a hurricane relief- a lot of relief there was no hurricane....

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More FWH: AP- "Gay Overtakes Powell to Win 100 Crown"

Do we really need to know the sexual preferences of some guy who wins some British coin?

(Actual story HERE)
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KANSAS CITY'S BROKEN NEWS: KC-KS Police Investigating A Death And News Updates

It was one of the last calls on the overnight report of nearly 50 calls- at 6:57am- an "unconscious" person at a house in the 800 block of South 9th Street.

That person died and police were investigating it as a suspicious death.

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Channel 9 was reporting "2 dead in 2 crashes" in Lee's Summit early this morning.

UPDATE- 1118am- OK There WAS a 2nd fatal wreck here- MHP report on that HERE.

Nine and Channel 4 were reporting the Olathe fire victim as "in a hospital" and not deceased. Also- reports are that victim was "a female."

I heard MEDACT's med report SAY "an approximately 30-year-old MALE" and that unfortunate victim whatever gender had 30-percent coverage burns and no unassisted lifesigns.

As a former firefighter- I didn't bring out many (any) people who'd been in a heavily-involved structure fire for at least 15 minutes alive.

My services are economically available Channels 4 & 9....

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Residents Don't Like New Strip Shopping Center At Vivion And North Oak

Two things I read first in the daily print monopoly is the Local section and Letters to the paper.

I just the past several days- I've noticed probably half a dozen letters protesting the new strip shopping center- apparently built with some sort of City Council welfare- on the northeast corner of Northeast Vivion Road at North Oak.

That land used to be green space- property of the Midwest Theological Seminary. I guess the God business is not going well these days and they needed the money.

If one watched the city government cable channel 2- a person would learn these things are going on. In fact- thanks to our local news media- that's about the ONLY way you'll find out what's going on with KC-MO's city government in any detail.

"If it bleeds- it leads." Doesn't bleeding the taxpayers qualify???


Oh- I search the Local section for stories I pasted here 2-4 days earlier. Some DO pop up....

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FWH: AP- "FAA Tests System Created to Fight Delays"

The Federal Aviation Administration has been testing a new system that fights delays(?) says an Associated Press article.

New system?

They found out how to keep air traffic control center computers from going down?

(Hey- put a carpet over the extension cord to those radars!)

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"Minor" Flooding Along The Platte River In Platte County-MO

Heavy rains upstream Friday morning has caused the Platte River to rise above flood stage in Platte County.

Only minor flooding will occur- according to the NWS statement.

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The Kansas City MetroRegion Overnight News and Weather Report - Sunday, August 26, 2007

*** ONE DEAD IN FIREY LEE'S SUMMIT-MO CRASH ***

*** One person is dead in a vehicle that reportedly "went off a cliff" on I-470 near U.S. 50 Highway around 2:30am Sunday morning.

Lee's Summit Fire reported that vehicle "heavily-involved" in flames when they arrived- the body of the victim was found inside the burned vehicle after the fire was put out.

There were reportedly other vehicles involved in a crash nearby- but injuries there were minor.

The Missouri Highway Patrol was investigating the incident- their report is HERE.

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*** WOMAN DIES IN OLATHE-KS HOUSE FIRE ***

*** At 4:14 am Sunday morning- five companies of the Olathe Fire Department reponded to a reported house fire near South Parkway and Glendale Drives in central Olathe.

A police officer arrived less than 2 minutes after the alarm was dispatched- reporting fire showing and that officer evacuated occupants of a neighboring occupancy. Firefighters arrived at 4:18 am saying "2 sides" of the structure are "fully-involved" in flames- and the attack begins.

Two more fire companies are sent-in at 4:22am.

Then- at 4:30am- the report from interior fire crews of the victim found- quickly taken outside.

The victim had been in the burning house for at least 16 minutes- MEDACT-EMS crews perform C.P.R. on them before heading for a nearby medical (not trauma) center more than 15 minutes later.

The fire was declared under control at 4:47am- the cause investigated as electrical.

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** WOMAN'S INJURIES CRITICAL AFTER KC-KS SHOOTING **

... The call came in just before 1am- to the 5700 block of State Avenue where a shooting had occurred near some nightclub.

There police- fire & EMS crews found a victim- "an 18-year-old female shot in the middle to upper back." She was taken to a trauma center in critical condition.

Police report having "3 witnesses" to the shooting- but no suspect information was heard. It's lucky I heard anything all night as noisy as it was....

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** TWO-ALARM FIRE HEAVILY DAMAGES SOUTH KC-MO APARTMENT BUILDING **

... This call came out at 12:53am- an apartment building fire in the 9400 block of Newton Drive.

Heavy smoke is reported by the first-arriving company just before 1am- then fire showing. A full 1st- then a 2nd-alarm is struck at 1:05am- 6 more companies.

Fire crews battle flames and search for occupants- none are found. A quick knock-down of the fire results in the incident being under control at 1:14am..

Results of the fire investigation were not yet available to the news media.

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** TWO KC-MO SHOOTING VICTIMS SHOW UP AT HOSPITAL- IN STYLE **

... In more than 3 decades of listening to scanners- I don't think I've ever heard a call like this...

At 3:15am- KC-MO Metro zone police reported "2 shooting victims have arrived at (a local trauma center) in a limosine."

The officer reports one victim grazed in their face by a bullet- another in the limo was shot in a leg.

It supposively happened in the are of 63rd Street & Troost- only suspect information was "a black male in brown shorts on foot" in the area.

Come to think of it- a limosine is still probably cheaper than a MAST ambulance....

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** LIBERTY POLICE HAVE A "TACTICAL OPERATION" **

... First heard about this call at 2:15am- police had some sort of "tactical operation" in the 100 block of South Fairview.

At 3:59am- three Liberty Fire companies are sent- there's apparently a fire in the targeted structure- but it's unknown how it's caused. A police officer inside that structure then puts "the small fire" out- then orders fire crews back to a staging area.

This incident sounds terminated about 30 minutes later- never do hear if a suspect is arrested.

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** Possible Suspicious Death In Midtown KC-MO **

... Around 12:15am- MAST_EMS- Fire and Central Zone police officer were sent on "an unconscious" person in the 3600 block of Gillham.

That person was declared dead at the scene and police requested a supervisor respond- but no other information was gleaned.

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

Showers and a few thunderstorms developed in central Kansas overnight and were moving into the western MetroRegion. Skies in the MetroRegion range from mostly clear to mostly cloudy closer to the precipitation area. Temperatures were in the 60's with light winds from the southeast.

Another lovely late-summer day later today and summer heat will slowly return by mid-week- with a possible stronger cold front and precipitation by late week and the beginning of the Labor Day weekend.

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Kansas City's Breaking News Leader - NBC41 ACTION NEWS.
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