AP: Fireworks Accident In Northern Iowa Town Injures 37

If the noise level is any indication- the economy has hit this south K.C. neighborhood hard this year.

There wasn't nearly the fireworks shot off around here as in years past.

I heard just one firework-related injury- minor- from midnight to 7am this Saturday morning- as well as one house fire in KC-KS possibly caused by fireworks.

That wasn't the case nationwide- 37 were injured in an Iowa fireworks accident- and at the bottom of this Associated Press article- a short list of some firework injuries nationwide.

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A July 4 (5) Song Dedication To Fellow Americans

For those who think we had something to celebrate Friday- I give you the words from this ditty- recorded by one of America's all-time great bands:

The American Dream

Album: Chicago 14 (1980)

James Pankow

Who in the world can we turn to?
Who can we truly believe?
Who really cares what we've gone through?
Who understands what we need?

How many times have you told us:
"Rome wasn't built in a day;
We can believe in the White House;
Everything's cool, go away"?
Capitol Hill, is gonna crumble,
Falling apart at the seams.
We're mighty tired of seeing you stumble;
You're crushing the American dream.

How many cries will convince you
People are going insane?
Though you keep preaching of freedom,
All of your talk is in vain.
Who in the world can we turn to?
Who can we truly believe?
Who really cares what we've gone through?
Who understands? Who gives a damn what we need?

Maybe there's hope for the future;
Hope for the red, white and blue;
Long as we trust in each other,
There's so much more we can do.
Who in the world can we turn to?
Who can we truly believe"
Who understands what we've gone through?
(Who really cares what we need?)
Who really cares what we need?
(Who gives a damn what we need?)
Who gives a damn what we need?
How can you say what you want to say?
How can you be what you want to be?

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Metro KANSAS CITY BREAKING WEATHER: Severe Storms- Flash Flooding - Video Soon

Not a lot of time here- but to state that severe to strong thunderstorms will continue over the central and northern Metro for at least the next hour.

There have been NUMEROUS reports of flash-flooding- so stay home if possible!

Back later hopefully with pics and/or video of all this....

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Starbucks Slashes 12000 American Jobs

While Bush and the American Body Politico plays their 40th fiddle movement- Starbucks says it'll be shuttering 600 of their stores here in the UCSA and "about 12000" more Americans will be jobless.
Geez- if America loses it's service industries- where the Hell do we go next??

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K.C. MetroRegion WEATHER: NWS-SPC- "Slight Risk" Of Severe Storms Through Thursday

The entire MetroRegion and Metro Kansas City is included in today's outlook- which runs through Thursday morning.

Then- including up to FrIday morning or July 4- that slight risk area shifts south to catch the Metro and southern parts of the K.C. MetroRegion.

Keep tuned to NWS weather and/or commercial radio- TV for the latest updates on this developing weather situation.

BREAKING WEATHER: Platte County-MO and Leavenworth County-KS is under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 8:30am..

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AP: "Experts Say Flood Terminology Misleads The Public"

DUH!

I commented on this very fact in my earlier flood posts- that it seems we're having 100 & 500-year floods MUCH more often than the terms advertise.

In THIS AP story- a few "officials" are asked just why that is- it's all based on the limited climatology- i.e.- weather records in the US of A- all of which don't even go back 500 years.

And the stats surely don't take in account a number of factors like urbanization and climate modification.

I look upon all the structures locally in floodplains- uninsured for floods- and I shake my head.

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Fools Rush By

I've been driving 60 m.p.h. lately on the Interstates.

Why? It's supposively the speed at which your vehicle has the best highway fuel mileage.

I shouldn't have to tell anyone these days what THAT means.

As I drive 60 (in the far right lane of the roadway)- I see nothing but gas-guzzling pickup trucks- SUVs and 18-wheelers roaring by me- with the occasional sports-type car.

Yes- time is money- but now speed is money too. Lots of it as gasoline gets ready to vault the $4 per-gallon mark with relief (Bush) nowhere in sight.

I invite my readers to try driving 60 on the highways for the gas economy. If- like me you do most of your driving on freeways- you WILL find a savings with just one tank of (gold) gas.

Folks- if you wait for help on gas prices from Washington D.C.- you'll go very broke....

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AP: Hang The Mixed Drink - Do Some "Magic Mushrooms"

As I do most every day- I search the news and weather wire for something to report.

Wow- I guess that's front-page news that Britney Spears is looking for a new house. Does the AP also report on Spears' daily (assuming she does) wardrobe changes?

Anyway- I've long held that a person just CAN'T know what the Hell they're talking about any subject unless they've tried or done whatever it is they claim to be so knowlegable about.

Which leads me sans fanfare into THIS AP article in today's news- about psilocybin or what's commonly known on the street as "magic mushrooms."

This "drug" has long been the bane of the DEA- since mushrooms can be grown practically anywhere. Wonder if the DEA takes advantage of "Free" America's warrantless searches and gaze through people's basements??

Now I know many of you disapprove of drugs. But expand your mind a bit (unless it's so closed-off it may explode)- go fix your fave ALCOHOLIC drink- and read all about it....

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Good-Bye Ameristar

I guess my couple of hundred of dollars or so each month means nothing to the folks at Ameristar.

Just as well I guess- they can't even run their highly-publicized contests right.

Sunday night was the last night for their $200000 car giveaway promotion- with 2 drawings scheduled at 7 & 8pm.

Except there was NO drawing at 7pm- which we couldn't get entered into anyway due to understaffing and long lines both getting in and at the relatively few card-swiping machines.

First clue- when the obvious overcrowding wasn't addressed with adequate staffing.

Then everybody finds out someway or another (their PA system sucks) the drawings have been delayed an hour "due to a computer problem."

Four employees I tried to get answers from seem to not have any. It was like no one employed there had a CLUE as to what was going on or what was going to be.

So we just left.

I sent the casino an email on their website- they don't list company emails but have a pre-arranged email page for you.

That was more than 24 hours ago now with no reply.

So Goodbye Ameristar- your ill-run promotions- uninformed employees and seemingly don't-give-a-shit attitude toward your customers.

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Associated Press: "Bush Signs $162 Billion War Spending Bill"

Here's something to chew on as you- your family- city- state and yes- even your country- goes broke...

"WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush on Monday signed legislation to pay for the war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the rest of his presidency and beyond...."

If you haven't eaten lunch yet- HERE is- the rest of the AP story.

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Bush - Washington Silent As Oil - Food Prices Continue Upward

I find it really- REALLY unusual that Bush has been pretty much given a free ride (again) by the news media over skyrocketing fuel & food prices.

Record numbers of Americans are going bankrupt daily and there seems to be absolutely NOTHING on the table to help them.

All the pollys could muster were new bankruptcy laws that more than not favor creditors over debtors. Bush's too busy vetoing bills that come before him.

Big business- Republicrats & Demoblicans- get the picture? Bush-lite McCain is leading in voter polls. What IS in our water these days???

Americans of middle & lower-income are sinking.

Where's the life preserver Washington??? Oh- I forgot.

Our pollys have the BEST health - inflation coverage that can be had - paid for with the shirts of the back of American taxpayers.

Please- remember this at the polls in November.

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Homicide In KC-MO West Bottoms

Police have reported a homicide by gunshot in the 1600 block of West 12th Street in the KC-MO West Bottoms area at 3:16am Sunday morning.

A reported "4-5 witnesses" saw the shooting police said- giving a suspect vehicle description of "a white Chevy Impala with tinted windows."

There are no other details yet.

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South KC-MO Cruisers Issue Result In At Least 7 Shot

Large groups of people had been congregating around the area of 87th Street and Hillcrest since the warm weather began.

There had already been several incidents that I reported to media outlets along with the crowd problem- reported at times as "several hundred" people congregating & cruising.

Early Sunday morning- the crowd issue came to a head.

At 12:55am- numerous gunshots were fired in a crowd gathered in the hotel lot in the 5600 block of East 87th Street.

One vehicle roared away with at least 3 gunshot victims- only to stop around 83rd Street & Hillcrest. Four more persons suffered gunshots- a MAST-EMS supervisor told me "five were critically-injured with 2 non life-threatening" victims.

Yet unknown if any dead at the scene and police reported 4 to 5 persons "in custody."

The investigation is on-going at this hour.

I wonder if/how the police will address future repeat complaints of large crowds in this or other chronic areas on weekends?

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