Many Of Us Think Phil Gramm's Departure Is Years Overdue

Gramm's one of those good-ole-boy politicians from Texas who'll live high on the hog until the day he dies.

Gramm thinks Americans whine too much- a fellow Kansas City blogger thinks Gramm should STFU.

Again people- it's not JUST Republicrats. Vote Independents!

_________

Kansas City: Let's Get This "Light Rail" Thing Right From The Start

Let us NOT do this the cheapest way possible.

Let us plan these rail lines for FUTURE EXPANSION when we build them- not have to tear stuff out that was already built to accommodate new spurs or lines.

Let us think EVERYTHING out first- don't be strapped into small trains & platforms for instance.

I hate to see any of this stuff running on city streets- no dedicated railway- but then again nobody seems to care what I think about that potential mess.

Let's just get whatever your going to do about more efficient public transportation RIGHT!

______________

City Airport SHOULD Have City Cops Patrolling It

I'm sure there are more than a few KC-MO citizens who don't know the police force at K-C-I are basically enhanced armed security guards- not sworn KC-MO police officers.

Those "enhanced" security guards' powers are "little more than that of a citizen" and "restricted to airport property" say Chief Corwin.

These facts are brought to light as the KC-MO council has been discussing the takeover of K-C-I Police by the city's force- and a new KC-MO police station for it's Platte county zone patrol division.

With airport security a priority concern post 9-11-2001 - I would think this transition of lesser-trained "enhanced" security guards for fully-trained city police officers would be a no-brainer.

____________

New Rally-Fundraiser For Missing Belton-MO Teen Kara Kopetsky

Kara is STILL missing- last seen at Belton High School May 4- 2007.

Kara's family still holds out hope that Kara will return someday- you can read the heart-wrenching story on THIS Web site that was put up after Kara disappeared.

There is another rally & fund-raiser in July. Here is the information on that posted on the above Web site:

Fundraiser:

Kara Kopetsky Poker Run, 10 a.m. to noon July 28,

sponsored by Blue Springs Harley-Davidson.

The ride begins at Guicho's, 110 Cunningham Parkway, next to Blockbuster in Belton.

All-day activities include a bake sale, car wash and raffles.

For info, call the Harley dealership, 816-224-5005.

The Captain's prayers continue for Kara's family and friends....

___________

Crude-Oil Prices Drop- When WIll Gasoline Prices Follow

At this posting- the price of a barrel of crude oil has dropped (barely) below $130.00- down from the record $145. earlier this week.

Yet- gasoline prices rose and stay high.

What the HELL is up with that???

________

When Will We Become "Metropolitan" Kansas City

I still remember that late October 1985 drive down J.C. Nichols Parkway in the Plaza.

The Kansas City Royals had just won the World Series.

A solid line of cars with residents from every reach of Metro Kansas City giving high-fives to motorists lined up going the other direction.

That's really the last time I've seen anything resembling Metropolitan cohesiveness.

I was raised in this area quite proud of what Metro Kansas City stood for then- for truly- "everything WAS up-to-date in Kansas City."

That was pre-1975 thinking. It's not that way anymore.

Lately- it's like it's every Metro community in for themselves.

No! We don't want to help you pay for the pro teams' stadium improvements.

No! We don't want to help with ANY Metro public transportation- let alone light rail.

No! We don't want to extend ourselves to help make the WHOLE of Metro K.C. a better place to live- work and play.

This town is doomed to obscurity with those kind of attitudes.

World-class metro? HA-HA! Not even Podunk-class with the attitudes of Metro leaders.

Kansas city-MO's citizens can no longer soley afford to keep providing the amenities that make this area "big league."

We need suburbias help- that is- if they indeed even CARE about Metro Kansas City.

____________

Flood-Ravaged Communities Await Government Buyouts

According to this Associated Press story- many Central States towns that suffered the devastating floods are waiting for word whether FEMA- the government's "Federal Emergency Management Agency"- will engage in a buyout of properties in floodplains.

The Feds bought up thousands of properties destroyed by the Great Flood of 1993 and that keeps people from buying and building structures in flood plains.

In Cedar Rapids-IA- officials said that of the around 4000 homes flooded there- around half that number will have to be destroyed.

___________

Lt. Gov. Candidate Michael Carter: QUIT CALLING US

We're so damn tired of these almost daily recorded spam messages. We can't call the number back and request to be taken off your roto-dialer.

MICHAEL CARTER- quit invading our privacy and NO- none of the 4 voters in this household is voting for you...

________

Bush's "National Energy Policy Development Group" Sure Got What They Wanted

Uninformed Americans may want to note that as soon as Bush got his appoinment as president in 2001- his Veep- Cheney- got together a bunch of his energy company CEOs in a secretive meeting.

This bunch was tagged the "National Energy Policy Development Group" and we now know what the "Development" was:

Four-plus dollar a gallon gasoline.

That MUST have been the goal- for the minutes of the meeting of Cheney's butt-buddies were and remain secret.

I mean- who do the American people think they are- wanting to know what their elected (appointed) officials are up to?

On top of a wrong war- the virtual collapse of the American economy & it's middle class will be the Bush/Cheney legacy.

It'll be strange to see the Hannity/Limbaugh sheep of this Nation standing in soup lines while those multi-million dollar a year hacks keep spewing out their right-wing propaganda..

___________

Kansas City - July 14-2008

* A vague light rail plan is better than no light rail plan at all.

However- if the results of one of my polls (still there- down the right column) about transportation system preferences in this burg are ANY indication- most people- myself included- prefer higher-speed commuter rail.

No one really wants to take a 1-hour bus or street-level light rail trip to work and back when a car ride takes 30 minutes. Plus- busses and light-railcars that run on the streets are subject to the increasing number of no-drivers.

* Joy-joy that the Kansas City (MO) School District (KCSD) quit acting like the people they claim to (try to) educate and turned over the 7 buildings to the Independence School District (ISD).

The KCSD is still trying to get more money for the buildings which became part of the ISD after voters in western Independence approved the switch.

Awaiting voters to approve abolishing the KCSD and having the surrounding districts divy it up...

* Speaking of the KCSD-ISD issues- saw Meredith Hoenes doing a live shot on the subject on this morning's WDAF-4 News.

Looked a bit like it was too early for her- but hell- it's Monday and Ms. Rittenhouse didn't get much sleep either.

* A correction about the planned opening date of the Bannister Mall/Wizards Soccer Stadium. It's said to be 2010- not 2009 as I reported was earlier reported by news sources.

This construction season is more than half over with no sign of any activity along Chuck Eddy (Hillcrest) Road...

* I'm damned surprised at the number of people who had no idea the 2nd-largest bank failure in American history was going down. I must have talked to every former Jay-Walker...

* This is interesting broken news.

Just before 10am- a Southwest Airlines jet aborted a take-off at K.C.I. after they struck a bird on the runway.

A MAST-EMS unit was sent for an unknown injury.

Damage to the plane was unclear- other than very hot brakes on the landing gear- the airport fire & rescue crews said.

___________

Kansas University Legal Department Wrong Or Can You Copyright Colors

Ordinarily I pass-up the Sports section of the newspaper- long ago I quit caring about the exploits of millionaire ball players.

This morning however- Jason Whitlock caught my eye as he commented on the lawsuit going between K.U. and a sports clothing shop named Joe College.

I've been to Joe College and have seen their stuff- masterful knock-offs of the University's colors- but little else.

Apparently- that was too much for the KU Legal Dept.- for they sued Joe College of copyright infringment.

Apparently too- the courts must not have anything of importance on the docket- because this lawsuit really- REALLY borders on the edge of pure greed and frivolous.

Shame on you K.U.!

_____________

KC-MO Police - Fire To Get ANOTHER New Radio System To Tune Of Nearly $40-Million

Back in the mid-1990's- the City of Kansas City-MO invested tens of millions in a new radio communications system for the city's agencies.

More millions were spent to get the new system working properly as many problems were encountered that apparently weren't anticipated.

It was promised that city agencies could freely converse with one another- but that never happened.

The prior VHF system had been in service for more than 30 years- and claims were made if that radio system was replaced- the new- trunked radio system would last for "many years."

"Many years" turns out to be about half the time the old radio system lasted- for city officials want to spend almost $40-million dollars on ANOTHER new radio system.

To be fair- the reason for the switch is primarily due to the Feds sale of parts of the PUBLIC frequency spectrum to private corporations (sound familiar?).

There ARE a few million dollars in Federal grants available- but the lion's share of the switch will be borne by city taxpayers.

To be entirely fair- it's my opinion that municipal governments shouldn't have to pay a dime for the switch since the FEDS sold the frequencies.

This and most every other governmental agency is strapped for money- with many more important projects awaiting approval and implementation.

The city should hold-out for much more Federal monetary assistance for any new radio system- but the ordinance was whisked through the city council committee July 9.

___________

Where's The Outrage Over . . . Anything

Some bloggers lament- moi included- over things happening we perceive as wrong.

Politicians magically make freedoms disappear and pointless wars- well-paying jobs disappear- prices rise and it seems we willingly put up with it.

Sure- people grumble to each other- but there's no attempt to organize any worthy protest over anything.

Hell- too damn many people don't even bother to vote.

Have we become a nation of sheep?

It'll be interesting to see what the general public's threshold of toleration is....