Truman Medical Centers Register Big Deficits

America has no national health care plan in sight- meanwhile- the city's ONLY "public" hospital has seen a dramatic increase in unpaid medical services provided.

The Kansas City Business Journal reports that the Truman Medical Centers- the 2 campuses located on Hospital Hill and far southeastern KC-MO- has provided more than $44-million worth of unpaid medical care for it's indigent patients.

The KCBJ reports this is compared to a cost of more than $37-million in unpaid medical care for the same period in 2007- or a 19% increase in a year.

Incredibly- TMC CEO John Bluford hints that pollys should consider raising property taxes to help cover the deficits- according to his quote in the KCBJ article.

Yeah- let's raise taxes so MORE people can't afford medical care!

Sheesh....

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Decrease In Demand Don't Mean Cheaper

Our pollys are now squawking that since people are using less gasoline- fuel tax revenues aren't up to par with where the pollys think the revenues SHOULD be.

So naturally- in the middle of the worst recession (depression) since the 1930's- pollys are now talking about RAISING fuel taxes.

No good deed (conservation) goes unpunished....

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Ghost of Gas Price Increases Future Visits JoCo-KS Pollys

That HAD to be the reason that Johnson County commissioners are now looking seriously at funding public transportation in the Metro's wealthiest county.

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2009 - PLEASE Be Kind

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Good Riddance Old Year ...

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Is Dropping On 2008...

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The Ball On 2008...

New York's new Times Square "New Year's" ball on a live look by satellite.

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Macy's Solves Sales Woes By Double-Billing Customers

If you've bought ANYTHING at Macy's by debit card over the past few weeks- make sure you closely examine the receipt.

This according to an article at Consumerist.com.

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Top National Story of 2008: Taxpayer Bankruptcies - Corporate Bailouts

Opinions may vary- but my submission for top national news story of 2008 was the economy: both the record number of home foreclosures and the amazing American taxpayer welfare for failed American corporations.

Taxpayer welfare to the tune of a trillion-plus dollars- and counting.

In fact- this may well be the top story for the coming year also- as American taxpayer debt due to corporate welfare may become a crushing load on the American economy.

A close 2nd for top story? Of course- America's FIRST non-white- upper/ruling-class president.

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Kansas City's Top Weather Event For 2008: May 2 Tornadoes and High Winds

KC-MO had gone many years without a F-3 or stronger tornado within it's corporate limits.

That changed in 2003- and again this year on May 2.

Two tornadoes stuck the Northland in the early morning hours of May 2- while hurricane-force winds ravaged areas south of The River.

These events- beginning with tornado warnings on the evening of May 1- are documented in print- photo and video elsewhere in this blog and on YouTube.

The first tornado- a F-3- touched down in Gladstone near 70th Street and North Oak and moved northeastward. A 2nd and stronger F-4 tornado then formed near Northeast 108th Street and Missouri-291

Amazingly- there were only several minor injuries due to the tornadoes although a man was later found dead near a destroyed Arby's fast-food restaurant in Independence.

Independence police later attributed that man's death to storm-related injuries.

No final damage figures on this event have been seen- but it's safe to say area-wide damages totalled in the millions of dollars.

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Time-Warner-Looney Tunes May Drop MTV- Comedy Central- TV Land- Others

On the heels of yet ANOTHER price increase for Time-Warner cable and other service here in K.C.- the Associated Press reports Time-Warner may drop a number of popular cable channels.

The reason: A $$$ pissing match with those channels' company Viacom. All those channels could go dark at 12:01am tomorrow morning.

Time-Warner: You're gouging your customers with price increases- so settle up with Viacom or lose MORE customers to AT&T and satellite

Heh- with no Daily Show- how the HELL will we get our national news?

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His 36th Year In Times Square- Dick Clark's A Trooper

Rock & roll icon Dick Clark will appear at the New Year's Eve celebration in Times Square- according to the Associated Press.

Mr. Clark just turned 79 last month- and a little over 4 years ago Clark suffered a stroke that forces him to use a cane or walker and has made his speaking difficult.

Yet- Dick Clark WILL be on hand to ring in 2009 tommorow night in New York City.

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Plaza "West Edge" Project Wants MORE Taxpayer $$$

This is the seemingly-eternal construction project on Belleview at West 48th Street in The Plaza.

It was intended to be the new headquarters for local ad agency Bernstein-Rein as well as mixed use- including a "boutique" hotel and a 1000+ vehicle parking garage- according to a Tuesday morning article in The KANSAS CITY STAR..

The project was slated to be completed in the spring of 2008- but Bernstein got into a pissing match with the contractor at the time- J.E. Dunn- and work on the project ground to a halt.

Of course- The Plaza being a blighted area- Beinstein got more than $31-million in tax-increment financing (TIF a.k.a. Corporate Welfare) to build his company's new palace but- incredibly- the project is seeking MORE corporate welfare.

Robert Beinstein told The STAR "that the city might be asked to increase it's financial support to the $130-million project- which already is benefiting from $31.6-million in" TIF.

If the City Council approves one additional dime for this or ANY project in or near The Plaza- every council member approving this dreck in the face of a city budget deficit of nearly $100-million should be impeached and/or recalled immediately.

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Some Kansas City Area Rainfall Totals For 2008

Kansas City sits on the cusp between the semi-arid region of the High Plains and the more temperate area of the lower Missouri River valley. Thus- 50-inch rainfall totals- while not rare- are uncommon.

Yet- several reporting stations in the Metro- mostly in Johnson County-KS and southern KC-MO (including here at CSW) reported 2008 rainfall totals of at least 50-inches- some even more.

The highest total found was in Overland Park- at 143rd St. & Grant on the Tomahawk Creek watershed- where 57.68-inches was recorded.

Little if any precipitation is expected in the Kansas City MetroRegion through New Year's Day.

The following is a list of the area's heaviest rainfalls from sensors reported by Johnson County-KS' "Stormwatch" website:


1100- O.P. City Hall (87th St. & Antioch) - 49.53

1150- Mission Rd. @ Indian Creek - 49.64

1200- U.S.G.S. (103rd St. & Marty-OP-KS) - 48.23

1300- Corp Woods (I-435 @ Indian Creek near Antioch) - 44.33

1400- Waterford (108th St. & Nieman-OP-KS-OakParkBranch) - 46.06

1450- I-435 @ Quivira - 32.54

1500- Olathe (151st St. E. of Ridgeview) - 50.59

1600- Roe @ Tomahawk (Creek) - 48.30

1610- Metcalf @ Tomahawk Creek - 50.24

1620- Quivira @ Tomahawk - 51.14

1630- Switzer @ Tomahawk Creek - 52.40

1640- Morse (151st St. near Quivira) - 54.73

1650- Pflumm @ Tomahawk - 54.37

1660- 135th and Pflumm - 49.25

1670- 143rd (St.) & Grant - 57.68

1680- Wilshire Woods (127th St. near Grant-OP-KS) - 48.78

1700- JCCC (College Blvd. & Quivira) - 45.27

1720- 103rd St. @ Indian Creek (KC-MO) - 47.79

1730- I-435 & Nall - 48.78

1800- AS Toyta (Lydia @ Indian Creek-KC-MO) - 49.37

2010- 151st St. & England - 49.72

2030- 199th & Padbury - 47.12

2050- Bonita (175th St. E. of U.S. 169-JoCoKS) - 50.98

2060- 199th St. & Ridgeview - 47.12

2070- Stilwell (199th St. & Newton Ave.) - 51.30

2080- 191st St. & Mission Rd. - 50.39

2090- 191st (St.) @ E. Wolf Creek - 48.46

2100- Pflumm @ Coffee Creek - 50.94

2120- Switzer @ Coffee Creek - 46.18

2140- Mission @ E. Camp Branch Creek - 53.23

2180- Metcalf @ Negro Creek - 52.68

2200- Mission Rd. @ Negro Creek - 49.88

2210- Kenneth @ Negro Creek - 48.42

2220- Lackman (Rd.) @ Wolf Creek - 47.56

2240- 179th St. @ Wolf Creek - 46.77

2260- US69 @ Blue River - 48.90

2300- Kenneth Rd. @Big Blue River KC-MO - 48.54

2320- Red Bridge @(Big) Blue River KC-MO - 43.22

2380- AS 95th St. @(Big) Blue (River) KC-MO - 35.78

2400- AlliedSignal (Apx. 2100 E. 90th St.) @(Big) Blue (Tributary) KC-MO - 42.00

2420- 85th St @(Big) Blue River KC-MO - 41.21

2440- 63rd St. @(Big) Blue River KC-MO - 50.00

2500- 17th St. @(Big) Blue River KC-MO - 51.18

2980- Metcalf @ Turkey (Creek) - 46.18

2990- Lamar @ Turkey Creek - 46.61

3000- Southwest Blvd. @ Turkey Creek - 49.37

3010- Johnson Drive @ Turkey Creek - 50.35

3020- 69th (St.) @Turkey Creek - 41.97

3090- I-35/Antioch @ Turkey Creek - 45.86

3110- 87th Lane @ Mill Creek - 45.75

3120- Shawnee Mission Pkwy. @ Mill Creek - 46.22

3130- Lackman @ Little Mill Creek - 47.87

3150- Woodland @ Coon Creek - 47.20

3160- 79th St. @ Little Mill Creek - 49.72

3170- Woodland Rd @ Clear Creek - 49.09

3180- 67th St. & Caenen - 48.23

3190- Johnson Dr. & K-7 - 45.98

3200- K-10 and K-7 - 43.82

3210- Old Hwy 56 @ Harrison - 46.54

3220- Olathe Lake (135th St.) - 40.71

3230- 119th St. @ Cedar Creek - 45.83

3240- K-10 @ Cedar Creek - 43.66

3250- 119th St @ Little Cedar Creek - 46.69

3260- 95th St. @ Camp Creek - 46.14

3270- 127th St. @ Cedar Creek - 42.01

3280- Desoto Streamway Park (Gardner Rd. near KS River) - 43.27

3290- 75th St. @ K-7 - 44.92

3300- Gardner Lake (Discharge-151st St. - E. Kill Creek) - 43.15

3310- 143rd St @ Kill Creek - 42.40

3330- 127th St. @ Kill Creek - 44.06

3340- 95th St. @ Kill Creek - 40.59

3350- 151st St. @ Spoon Creek - 44.68

3360- Lexington Ave. & Sunshine - 43.82

3400- 127th and Evening Star - 43.11

3420- 159th St. & Edgerton Rd. - 44.33

3440- 191st St. & Dillie Road - 41.18

3450- New Century Airport - 47.60

3460- JOCO Transit (Old U.S. 56 & Robinson-Olathe) - 45.28

5020- 75th St. @ Brush Creek (Prairie Village) - 51.93

5030- 74th St. @ Brush Creek (PV-KS) - 47.68

5050- Lee Blvd. (8700 blk.) @ Dykes Branch (Leawood-KS) - 45.82

5100- Brooklyn PS (6100 Brooklyn-KC-MO) - 42.47

5200- Linwood (near U.S. 71) KC-MO - 49.25

5300- KC College (78th St. & Tomahawk-PV-KS) - 40.90

5400- Paseo HS (1900 E. Cleaver Blvd.) KC-MO - 45.51

5600- Porter Park (7400 Roe-PV-KS) - 50.27

5700- Martway @ Rock Creek (Mission-KS) - 43.81

5800- Ward Pkwy (@ Brush Creek) KC-MO - 45.39

5900- Main/Brookside (@ Brush Creek-KC-MO) - 48.46

6000- Elmwood (@ Brush Creek) KC-MO - 45.11

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You Get What You Pay For In This Company's Name

It's a Mount Vernon-MO-based outfit called "Freefall Express Skydiving"- their website's HERE.

KSHB-41 Action News reports that one of their customers got what the company promises when a parachute failed to open Sunday.

No report if the company was using Maxwell House parachutes.

You know- the ones that are "good to the last drop."

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Poppin' The Mushrooms and Drinkin' The Kool-Aid

That's the ONLY logical conclusion I can come to when I see some people actually ADMIRE Pres. Chimp (G.W. Bush- apologies to GOOD apes everywhere) and the Sarahcuda (S. Palin).

I won't even name the local blog that came up with that fantasy- for they probably still call black folk "Negroes" and long for the 1950's. Only one blogger I read regularily links them anyway (for comic purposes).

I can understand Americans becoming jaded with things- but being brainwashed by idiots stretches even my imagination.

Of consolation is the fact these seemingly "tripped-out" Americans ought to go crazy with Obama in charge for the next 4 years...

Ought to be good for the mushroom & Kool-Aid industry anyway....

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Raytown-MO: Keep Two - Lose One

Ah- bring back the old days!

The days when a merchant saw profit in locating their business in a city without that merchant holding that city's tax revenue hostage.

Raytown-MO falls willing victim in giving 2 of it's thriving businesses- WalMart and HyVee- tax breaks to build new structures (get ready for a new eyesore at 67th St. & Blue Ridge).

Raytown didn't extend any corporate welfare to another (purely) local business- and that business- Coddington's Thriftway grocery store- announces it's closing it's doors in 2009.

Local blogger Greg Walters tells the story over at his blog Raytown Report on how corporate welfare ALWAYS slaps-back to the taxpayer.

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"Enjoy Your Jackson County Parks"

We've had liked to- seeing how it was a nearly 70-degree winters' day last Friday.



But alas- the Jackson County-MO taxpayer apparently doesn't pay enough to keep those parks open on spring-like winter days.



Jackson County should change the tagline on their TV commercial to "Enjoy Your Jackson County Parks When They're Open."

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"The Dog-and-Pony Show of Kansas City"

No- I'm not speaking of KC-MO city council meetings.



The title quote is from fellow blogger Mark Smith (no relation to the Raytown Ford guy) who operates the Kansas City blog The Random Ramblings of The Midtown Miscreant.



The local free rag The Pitch did a story on The Midtown Miscreant recently- a story you may want to pass on if you're a member of the Chamber of Commerce.

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Lee's Summit Girl Shot While In Bed

It happened around 1:20am Sunday morning in the 600 block of Northeast Newport Drive in Lee's Summit.

L.S. police reported they received a call from the father of the reported 10-year-old female victim. The girl apparently screamed from her bedroom that her knee was bleeding and Dad went to investigate.

The father reportedly told police the girl's wound was round and there was a hole in the wall next to the girl's bed.

Police and paramedics arrived: EMS took the girl to an area trauma center in good condition- police took a neighbor- suspected of firing the shot inside his duplex and causing the girl's wound- to LSPD headquarters.

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All-Night Tornado Watch - All-Night Broadcast News and Weather Too?

From what I'm hearing- there were either few or no TV and broadcast radio pre-warnings for Saturday morning's severe storm and wind event.

Metro Kansas City and a large part of the surrounding area was under a Tornado Watch until 5am Saturday morning.

There were isolated thunderstorm cells already in the Metro when I began my shift at midnight. One inch hail was reported in Independence-MO around 12:15am..

Lines of thunderstorms were building from north-central into south-central Kansas at that time- and they roared east and northeastward- at speeds up to 75MPH as reported by one NWS warning text over the next few hours.

Around 4:30am- a wind gust of 79 MPH was officially recorded at New Century (IXD) airport near Gardner-KS- and the NWS office in Pleasant Hill announced a severe storm warning was being issued for Johnson County (it would also include Wyandotte in KS as well as parts of Cass- Clay & Jackson counties MO.).

Over the next 20 minutes- winds of 60 to 80 MPH ripped east and northeastward- bringing down power lines and tree limbs (some whole trees too). There was scattered structural damage: a roof ripped from an apartment building in Grandview-MO as well as a business in southern Overland Park-KS and KC-MO. Trees fell on houses in Prairie Village-KS as well as KC-MO..

I was too busy taking information and passing it on to my media client KSHB-41 to notice who was doing what on TV or commercial radio. Too busy even to take phone calls during and post event from concerned friends and family.

I do know the morning news producer had arrived but there apparently was no one in 41's weather center. From what I've heard from others- it was basically the same on all the other TV stations in town- as well as commercial radio.

Fortunately- except for the driver of a UPS truck that was blown over on I-435 in Lenexa during the storm- there were no reported injuries.

Other than what I know for sure who was where- this I DO know:

Like the early-morning hours of last May 2nd- when there's a tornado watch that includes Metro Kansas City and the watch covers overnight periods- during the winter- you BEST have somebody ready to go on the air when hurricane-force winds are about to strike a 2-million-person metropolitan area.

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