mpvan's Blog

Erich Scherfen, a pilot, gulf war veteran was notified he's on the gov't terror watch list and must jump through all sorts of hoops to fly his plane

His employer, Colgan Air, a regional Texas air carrier, proposed that he be fired for being on the list, Sept. 1.

A judge has issued a temporary restraining order, pushing back his termination date to Oct. 1, with the hopes that he can clear his name.

No one clears their name from the TSA watch list.  No one knows what entity runs it.  Sen. Edward Kennedy is on it.  So is a five year old.  Same for several attorneys who have prosecuted high profile terrorist cases.   There is no sense of urgency to do anything about any one person on the list. 

The list will never be published.  The people that run it, never identified.  The parameters for getting on it, will never be brought to public light.  But Colgan Air takes it seriously to the point of ruining a pilot's career.  Perhaps the Cnn.com story will bring enough publicity to warrant some  action, but previous stories haven't done much to clear anybody.

We're from the government and we're here to help. 

Joe Bless, America, please......(a request)

A lady who police refer to as Patty, gets in her car at Oak Park Mall, and is then blocked in by a red car with 3 men.  One of them(armed) confronts Patty, points the gun at her,and tells her to get out. This happens Friday afternoon. 
Patty, remembering the Kelsey Smith ordeal, isn't about to give in and starts ramming the car that is blocking her in her parking spot.   A couple of warning shots are fired at the car, one hitting the door.  The assailants, not wanting their freshly stolen car damaged, take off. 
The OP police  catch up with the car around 79th and Metcalf and lose it around 18th and Metropolitan. 
Officer Jim Weaver of the OP Police offers up some lame advice, probably because his department can't quite catch the bad guys after they carouse through their town back to crime Dotte.  He says, give up your car and money, property and don't risk getting hurt.  

How about:  Since Bannister Mall closed because of the crime, the criminals have to go some where.  And they have shown up here.  We can't catch them, our response time, communications system are all substandard, we specialize in traffic tickets. There just isn't any money in it for us to catch armed assailants.  Please take full advantage of the new Kansas Conceal and Carry laws to protect yourself.  And really when you think about it you may as well take your loaded gun in plain view to protect yourself from these very people, if you don't have the time  to do the conceal and carry  program. 

Is mall security even armed?  The bad guys sure are.

I've got friends in Atlanta, Georgia.  Will someone tell George W over there in China that this war thing going on isn't in the U.S.  and there's no need to bomb anything in the State of Georgia, United States.   May as well mention that the Civil War of 1860's is pretty much over as well.  No need to start that thing up again. 

 

With the magic number 08/08/08 coming up this Friday the 13, I mean this Friday the 8th, I predict this will be the end of the world.   Some may argue that it is a man made arbitrary number, and it is, but it is a good set of numbers for the end of the world to occur.

I haven't done all the math on adding, multiplying and dividing them up,  but I think if you do, and add some physics to it and some orbits of the planets, this is it, the end.

I am aware that there is another set of numbers circulating, 09-12-12, but those are bogus. It could be 12-12-12, but those are bogus too.  The math doesn't add up as nicely as 08-08-08. 

When one says the end of the world, I would propose that the planet not be here.  When the next set of UFO's try to land, all they would see is the moon.  The end of the world wouldn't be the end if the ball was still the 3rd rock from the sun. 

And then you may ask, "where will it go?"  Well, that's a tough one.  Rapture comes to mind.  But the real answer lies in all the other prognosticators when they predicted the end of the world.  Ask them where it would go.  The where question isn't nearly as important as when, and we have the when.

So fill up tank, cash out the 401k, actually, do it in reverse order so you have the money to fill up the tank, and go to the all you can eat buffet. 

Put away the guns and ammo, drive carefully, no beheadings,  (you don't want to end someone's else's world on the wrong day) and enjoy.

 

According to the KCStar 8/3/08, the robber was confronted by the victim AFTER the robbery, and was told to stop.  At which point the robber turned around pointed his gun at the victim and the robber was shot in the head by the victim..  Similar to Tom Cruise in collateral damage, I guess he wanted his stuff back. 

The victim had a permit, which was a moot point because according to the police part of the story, one isn't needed to carry the weapon in the car, in plain view. 

Gun control is hitting your target and a head shot is a difficult one.  But only one shot?  The problem there is that it leaves more than one story, in spite of witnesses.   5 shots minimum, save the other rounds in the clip for his buddy.  Armed robbery carries with it an inherent danger of being killed on the part of all parties plus the police. 

Confronting an armed robber AFTER he robs you, and is walking away?   Bold, in this case, a synonym for stupid.  The spectacular head shot at a fair distance, probably negated any chance of return fire.  Lucky.

 

Sounds like the Springer show gone wild on Spring break.   Headlines from around cnn. com and beyond on 7/31.  No one could make this up.  Letterman and Leno writers are on sensory overload.
Man beheads a passenger sitting next to him on the bus.
Preacher is charged with killing of wife and mother of 8.  Then stores her in the freezer for a bunch of years.  Told everyone she died in childbirth.  Another relative told police where to find her. 
6mo. old Lab pup chews up 2mo old baby in the Tulsa area while the entire family is home.  Including the toothless grandmother interviewed for the story.
Small plane goes down in Owatonna Mn killing all eight.  Why EVER go on a small plane?
The boyfriend of the gal who sat on the toilet for a couple of years  in central Kansas was sentenced to 6mo jail time.    He will have his very own latrine.  Probably smooth stainless steel!
Barney Frank, (Massachusetts) introduces a bill decriminalizing the Federal punishment for up to 300 grams (nearly a quarter pound) of marijuana.  After these headlines one would think he enacted a law requiring its use.  State penalties would remain in force.

There might be something to this divine creation thing.  How in the world could humans evolve to these results?

God, religion, America.  Is the phrase too sacred for analysis, blasphemous, or meaningless or both?  

Blasphemous, If God really exists and loves everybody, then Americans should stop asking the almighty to contradict his own teaching by giving favored nation status to the home of the brave,(and Chiefs, if you're at Arrowhead).  It contradicts biblical warnings that all nations stand under diving judgement.

And why America?  In England it's: God save the Queen, from what?  God fearing people comes to mind, but.....he loves you, why fear him.  Is it because God likes the national anthem, have the most nuclear weapons, import the most oil, or is it because the country is in the most trouble out of all of them on the planet?    

Taking it further, which America are we asking him to bless, the land, the people that run the land, the murder rate, foreign policy of invading brown people, its eating habits, low gas prices, school system, the court system and O.J. Simpson, the constitution and liberty and jusice for all (if you have a LOT of money).

What is a blessing?  A feel good, warm fuzzy feeling.  Kind of like okie dokie?  A hope, demand, political claim, an empty expression, or by the contradictions is the phrase taking God's name in vain. 

IF God blesses America, is the nation responsible for doing something in return?  Who would that be.  And what palpable positive outcome became of the blessing. How much, and what would you do in return?  Can the blessing be counted and rated?  

Soldiers:  In the spirit of divine judgment of countries, does God choose sides in a war amongst his "children?" 

George Carlin:  I have as much power as the Pope, just not as many people believe it.

Sources:  G. Carlin, Ray Waddle

Joe Bless, please.  

The KCSTAR today, 7/17 reports on pg 2 that Chicago is running a pedestrian decoy sting.  A policeman attempt to cross the street IN the marked crosswalk and if a car encroaches this crosswalk the other policemen nearby lecture or ticket them because the law says a car must stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk.

The amazing thing are the statistics.  4800 pedestrian deaths and 61,000 injuries in 2006 as reported by the NHTSA, and 65 in Chicago so far this year.  That's 13 deaths a day nationwide along with 167 injuries. 

What is up with the humans getting run over by the vehicles? 

It makes sense though, the humans are running their cars in front of trains--which really have no other place to go and can't stop, at the rate over over 1 death per day!  And the paper always reports that a train hit a car.  NO IT DIDN'T, the car ran in front of the train!

This does not bode well for motorcyclists, if the drivers of the vehicles are running over pedestrians at the above rate they've got to be wiping out the two wheelers at an alarming rate as well.

I don't think the motorcyclists are running over too many pedestrians!

So here's this guy who wants to freefall from about 25 miles up from a balloon.  A highly technical endeavor for anyone.  Many scientists don't think its humanly possible to do so because of temperature, pressures, atmosphere, ability to keep consciousness, etc. 

France, his home country, won't let him do it because they think he will turn himself into a human lawn dart and impale someone on the ground. 

Canada, as sparsely populated as it is, says "ok, do it.   Hope we find you  where you land but we probably won't."   Better wear a high impact Garmin transmitter.

But the whole thing was postponed because of a highly technical glitch.  His mode of transportation, a giant weather balloon, wasn't tied down and it flew away without him.  Details, details. 

The ground flight commander, reached for comment, said,  "it wasn't my job, my son, the boy scout, was supposed to do that, but his rope tying class ran a bit long." 

The FAA is trying to contact the flight commander for its new opening in charge of homeland security and airport screening.

Literally, not figuratively.  The story is finally getting some press that it should have got years ago.  Lawmakers, about 4 years too late, are now upset that 12 soldiers have died in the shower and while operating water based devices(power washers) in Iraq because of poor electrical work by contractors.

In keeping with the Pat Tillman school of coverup, they even told one mother her Green Beret son(Ryan Maseth) carried with him a small electrical appliance, turned on, while in the shower.  Clearly, the army brass just saw Groundhog day, with the part about Bill Murray trying to toast himself with the toaster in the bath. 

But, really, where in the world do they come up with this stuff. 

Mr. Maseth's rescuers didn't notice the appliance.

In 2004, 5 deaths were reported by electrocution.  In 2008 the total numbered 12.  Ryan was killed Jan. 2 of this year.  An urgent report was produced by KBR, Kellog, Brown & Root, outlining the seriousness of the shoddy electrical work performed by contractors.

Two things added to the seven deaths since 2004, they ran out of stories to tell the parents, or the parents wised up and quit believing the stories. 

Congressional member Henry Waxman is looking for answers. 

Perhaps the troops need a bit more than a ribbon around the tree, or free tickets to the San Diego baseball game with the Padres dressed in camoflage uniforms.

Start with the truth to parents of deceased servicemen.  It doesn't cost anything.  If anything, it will save money because there shouldn't be the cost of a cover up investigation.

 

 

Two women kill themselves in OP while speeding, a motorcyclist does himself in at 39 & Broadway, a Lees Summit man, Randy A Ralstin, fleeing the police kill a mother of 3 and 1 of her 12 yr old daughters,  and a Mission Hills man get struck and killed last weekend by a suspected drunk driver.    6 young lives ended early.
 
Incredibly, Ralstin, while fleeing the police in the '90s, killed another motorist, while doing the same thing, fleeing the police.   He was sentenced to 15 years but got out after 7.  The revolving door jails are full and a lot of people have to serve just a little bit of time.

It probably helps ones chances of getting out that a charge of DUI is a misdemeanor, meaning a crime punishable by less than one year in the slammer.

A transportation study (kcstar 5/15)  ranked Missouri and the 4th worst place to drive in the nation in  regards to motor vehicle fatality incidents among teenagers.

yoyo,  you're on you're own.  Expect no help from the courts or government on this one.

About the new video game.  You know, the one that depicts killing of cops, stealing cars.  It is just a game.  Where it isn't a game, such as Chicago, they've got a real problem.

Don't like the game, don't buy it.

Against guns, don't buy them, don't go for your conceal and carry permit.

I don't get the Fox 4 headline "Kansas City high school graduation rate lowest in Nation" but then they qualify it by saying it is ranked 40 out of the 50 largest cities in the nation.

Wouldn't it be 50th if it were the lowest? 

Did they hire a "grad" from the KCMO  triple A ranked school district?  And why is it still accredited if they'e the best of the worst? 

No child left behind?  A nice moniker, but with results like that, what would you really call it?

Anyone notice that Blue Valley graduates 99%.  Crime Dotte about 48%.  Shawnee Mission 81%

Wonder where the Chief's kicker will be playing next week, if at all.   Someone decided he's an NFL kicker and not allowing him to attempt to tie the game says it all.  Wonder if its the same person who decided to try for the 1st down is the same guy who decided he can kick in the NFL.  They should probably both go.

With the Chiefs tied with Atlanta for the worst offense in the  NFL at 135 points points scored all year, running coach Edwards decided to with a KC drafted quarterback.  The first since Todd Blackledge started in 1983.  Huard got the vote of confidence last week when Edwards said, "he's our quarterback."   Croyle must have improved leaps and bounds sitting on the bench since preseason when he was given game after game to prove himself and didn't.   Any chance the Chiefs can avoid the embarrassment of playing an angry Indy team and just call in the loss over the phone?