Proud to be an American

I was the unfortunate recipient of a piece of trash e-mail sent to me by a friend who I am confident did so not because he thought I would appreciate it for what it puprorted to be (a "good read"), but as an example of the fact that ignorance can still be found in our fair country. I won't reproduce the e-mail, but I will reproduce the response I sent to the person who seems to have started the daisy chain of forwarded e-mails.

"William:

I don't know who you are, but you ought to be ashamed of yourself for sending out such hogwash. You said "good read", so I have strong doubts about what else you consider a good read and what, exactly, your yardstick is. The e-mail you forwarded was written by someone who appears to be racist, bigoted, misogynistic and obviously quite ignorant.
Americans can stand proud, confident in the fact that all of its promises, as embodied in the Declaration and Constitution and other founding documents, are really true. Americans have followed through and not just paid lip service; we're walking the walk and not just talking the talk. We've put our money where our collective mouths are. Now, we can expect to see some of the excesses and failures of the past corrected; or at least an attempt made to correct them.
Most Americans know that our system of government is the best around and even though not perfect it is capable of being perfected. Recent events have demonstrated this admirably."

Here I though the crap that was being sent around before the election was finally over. Boy, was I wrong!

==JFK==

Steamboat Arabia Museum Discussed at MSPA Meeting

The buzz about the Steamboat Arabia Museum coming to Parkville is increasing. The Main Street Parkville Association (MSPA) discussed the plans and what has transpired in the past few days. Unfortunately, like so many MSPA meetings of late, only a handful of the most active members were present. I am sure that these folks will be talking about this to others in the next few weeks.

In other news from the MSPA meeting Chairman Carol Kuhns suggested that due to the small number of members present that the elections of officers be postponed until the next meeting in December. The revised by-laws, however, were approved. The meeting had to be moved at the last minute to the American Legion Hall due to the Train Depot being locked and no one having a key or the keypad code to open the front door.

Those present, which included Terry Brown, voted to hold all future meetings at the Legion Hall and for the next meeting to have a Legion-prepared breakfast. The next meeting will start at 8:30 am (for breakfast), and the business meeting will start at its usual time of 9:00 am. Carol expressed her interest in getting to know others more in the less formal setting of a breakfast. The Nominating Committee has nominated Carol for chairman, Tom Hutsler for vice-chairman and Linda Varner as secretary.

==JFK==

Tree City USA?

There are rumors that KCP&L and the City are talking about taking out all of the beautiful trees along Main Street and replanting with smaller species such as crab apple trees. I suspect that KCP&L has no particular love for our trees and would just as soon have nothing but naked overhead lines. Hey folks, we want and need these mature trees to help sequester the carbon dioxide spewed out by the coal-fired power plants, to provide much needed shade, to offer homes for songbirds and to soothe us with their beauty.

Some have suggested that if KCP&L presses the issue that the City will simply cave and allow our trees to be cut down. Now, it is one thing to remove dead or diseased trees and to replace them with the same species, but to remove healthy trees and replace them with smaller species is not what we, as Parkvillians, will want. Perhaps KCP&L should put their lines underground.

Comments?

==JFK==

Parkvillians at the Sprint Center

I have heard a lot of complaints about, as well as a lot praise for, Kansas City's Sprint Center. I'd like to get some of them on the record for other Parkvillians to consider. If you have had an opportunity to visit the new Power & Light District or attend an event at the Sprint Center please leave your comments here (Just click in the word "comments" just below). If you don't live in Parkville feel free to comment, but tell us where you live.

Thanks.

==JFK==

Christmas on the River Donor's Party

The donor party was well attended even though some folks who paid did not make it. Most of the Parkville restaurants donated food and desserts. Jenny McCoy was the facilitating hostess and Kirby Varner and Tom Hutsler served drinks from behind the bar. Linda Varner, Debbie Hopkins, Carol Kuhns and Tom Hutsler who are once again the movers behind the Christmas on the River event. The same folks were the co-chairs last year and were able to turn around the losses the event suffered from the previous two years. Melissa Robbins and Kathy Cline who are heading up the Gallery of Trees event brought several local artists who showed their works that will be auctioned off at that event.

The many works of art were on display as were this year's new blue-on-white ceramic Christmas tree ornament. Remember, commemorative ornaments are for sale at a few local stores in Parkville.

There was an interesting discussions last night at the Christmas on the River donor's party at the lovely home of Don & Linda Julian. Don Julian had been in some of the early discussions about the Steamboat Arabia Museum's desire to move to Parkville. He and I, Tom Hutsler and Carol Kuhns discussed the possible reasons that Park University had for deciding against allowing the museum to locate on undeveloped land on the university's campus.

The currently preferred location was discussed and everyone agreed that it would be great for Parkville. The plans for a larger museum, to house a second riverboat, as well as the construction of an hotel on the site was also discussed. I mentioned the seeming disinterest by Platte County leaders.

I encourage this blog's readers to pick up the buzz and to post your comments here. This blog is the first to have any relevant news on this subject (remember, you heard it here first).

Comments?

A Shameful Display

Well folks, it certainly didn't take long for the wing nuts to drag out the anti-American sentiments. I encountered one that I am fairly sure an American POW of any war would not approve of. This was seen at, or near, 11556 Northwest Highway FF in front of a gated home that is secluded in the hills and trees on the north side of the highway. It is bad enough that the homeowner has the American flag flying at half staff, but to hang another American flag, upside-down over the McCain-Palin sign is an entirely different matter. This is, of course, an international sign of severe distress or emergency, "(t)he United States Flag Code gives an explanation of reasons to fly the American flag upside-down, and none of the reasons include protest. Recently, I have witnessed many stories where people are flying the American flag upside-down as a form of protest against any number of things: the war, the President, the Supreme Court, school, etc. (http://www.flagsbay.com/flag/2007/10/30/flying-us-flag-upside-down-not-sign-of-protest/)." I suspect "displaying" the flag can be construed as "flying" the flag.

A satelite photo of the site can be seen on Google Maps at: "
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=39.196414,-94.713505&spn=0.005172,0.006909&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.194111,-94.714322&panoid=wQzpdcev_Mj8pi2gM9DUJQ"

Here are two photos of the display:

One has to wonder what John McCain would have to say about this shameful display.

WAG

The future is ours!

Well, our guy, Bill Quitmeier didn't win (our minuscule straw poll gave Bill a 76% to 17% for Kathy). Instead, Kathy Dusenbury did. Now we all need to step up to help her do the best job, especially as her job impacts Parkville. The first job is to secure the Arabia Museum for Parkville. Kathy is in a unique position to help craft an outcome that will be good for our town, for Platte County, the Northland and for the entire Kansas City area. Lets all e-mail or call Kathy to offer our help.

Now, don't think the Arabia Museum is the only important thing facing our city and county. We still have the issues that Bill brought up during the campaign. We are in Platte County not Flat County, and we have no idea where Kathy stands on the important issues of uncontrolled development. Neither she, nor her campaign manager's weekly newsletter, put out any significant information on her positions. I don't really know Kathy (unlike some of the other contributors hereon), but I'll keep reporting on her here, and I hope you will keep commenting.

Comments?

WAG

Restaurant Critic/Reviewer Coming On-line

We will soon be announcing a new restaurant critic/reviewer to our line up of contributors. This person, we'll call "AJ", will be visiting all Parkville restaurants as well as surrounding area's eateries and will be writing about the experience. If you have particular restaurants you'd like to recommend for one or more visits please comment.

WAG