Texting and flying could be deadly for passengers
Motorists every day ignore the “don’t text and drive” advice from safety experts.
As a result, people die or get injured in traffic accidents.
But if airline and helicopter pilots ignore the “don’t text and fly” advice, even more people could be killed.
A new report by … Read More »
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Can anyone beat Sly James in 2015?
Two years can fly by quickly. Just think, Kansas Citians elected Sly James as mayor barely 24 months ago in early 2011.
With the 2015 elections only two years away, it’s a good time to review James’ chances of winning another term.
Start with this rather basic question: Who in … Read More »
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Do kids belong to the whole community?
In a 30-second ad for MSNBC, Tulane University political scientist and talk show host Melissa Harris-Perry complains that our “private notions of children” have prevented us from spending more money on public education. It would be better to have a “collective notion of these are our children,” she insists, … Read More »
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Uh, oh, Google coming to Austin. Now what, KC?
It’s official: Google’s high-speed fiber is headed for Austin, a logical hi-tech landing spot in Texas.
So what’s that mean for the Kansas City area, the first home for Google’s new venture?
The news puts more pressure on local boosters to find some really innovative uses for … Read More »
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Adieu, the Iron Lady
Margaret Thatcher grew up the daughter of a grocer, raised in a cold-water flat — an unlikely origin for one of the towering figures of the 20th century. Eventually the grocer’s daughter became the “Iron Lady” and she transformed her country, her party — and even the opposition party.
Thatcher … Read More »
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Veto Kansas abortion bill that punishes women, doctors
Some historically bad bills are sitting on the desk of Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback.
Many were partly a result of the Republican governor’s urging, and there is little reason to think he will veto them.
But he should. For the next few days we will highlight some of the Legislature’s … Read More »
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Rutgers ex-AD’s cushy buyout for being lousy at his job
Think the excesses of big-time college athletics can’t get worse?
Read on.
Tim Pernetti resigned in disgrace last week as the Rutgers University athletic director.
Pernetti had failed to get rid of men’s basketball coach Mike Rice months earlier, even after seeing videos of Rice hurling basketballs … Read More »
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Please don’t call Gov. Brownback a serial liar
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback delivered the national, weekly Republican Party address today, starting with this lie:
He balanced the state budget without a tax increase.
Actually, no, the facts show he used a tax increase to balance the budget. Today’s speech was yet another occasion for Brownback to … Read More »
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Brownback’s wrong address: Unexcused absences of candor and logic
Wrong Address
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has been tapped to deliver the weekly Republican address today. Expanding on a popular theme, he will talk about how, while Washington remains a mess, GOP governors are straightening things out.
Unfortunately, some of what Brownback says in his address (which was pre-recorded … Read More »
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To spur more demand, we need more hiring
As the legislatures in both Kansas and Missouri move to cut business and personal income taxes in hopes of spurring job growth, now seems like an appropriate time to ask a simple question. Does reducing the tax burden on companies and high-income “job creators” actually result in more jobs?
President … Read More »
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Blacks still face unfair treatment in so many ways
In a voice that seemed like a cry to the heavens, an older African American friend asked: “What advanced age does a black man have to reach to receive non-discriminatory treatment?”
Recently, he had been unfairly treated like a suspect. His experience keeps recurring for blacks. It happens in racial … Read More »
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Strong hospitals are crucial to healthy communities
Hospitals are where people welcome new life and say final goodbyes. They are major employers, givers and receivers of charity and mainstays of communities.
It’s no wonder that emotions run high when change is in the works. In recent weeks, people have packed into hearings regarding three hospitals.
In the … Read More »
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An industrial-era monstrosity, forced on a digital age
With Obamacare’s main provisions only a few months from full implementation, the law is now moving through the economy like a statutory disruptor beam. It’s hard to see how this thing will ever be workable, or affordable.
Many small businesses are trying keep payrolls below 50 workers to remain exempt. … Read More »
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All U.S. energy sectors now have something to crow about
U.S. power production trends offer an unusual scenario: There’s something to love for Big Oil’s supporters and environmentalists.
While America’s longstanding love affair with fossil fuels is far from over, America’s more recent embrace of renewable energy is going strong.
At first glance, these would seem to be contradictory conclusions.
… Read More »4
Job numbers are head-scratchers
The March jobs report has to have a lot of people scratching their heads.
The unemployment rate dropped from 7.7 percent in February to 7.6 percent in March. But despite the decline, U.S. employers only added 88,000 more new jobs — way below the number that was anticipated, the Labor … Read More »
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North Korea getting serious attention
If people initially laughed at Kim Jong Un as North Korea’s new leader, they aren’t laughing so much now.
The Kim’s rapid fire of escalating threats have caused South Korea, the United States, Japan and China to take him seriously. He has re-started the communist country’s nuclear reactor.
He’s moved … Read More »
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Gun control beginning state by state
States that experienced some of the most horrific gun violence are coming up with new gun control laws.
And it’s about time. Connecticut, where the Sandy Hook Elementary School killings occurred on Dec. 14, is the latest. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed into law this week new gun controls, which … Read More »
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KCK keeps its YMCA open, but more deals needed in Raytown, Independence
Kudos to the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and YMCA officials for working out a deal to temporarily keep the 8th Street Family YMCA open past the scheduled April 12 closing date.
And here’s a challenge to YMCA officials plus city and school officials in Raytown and Independence:
Come … Read More »
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Ignore Johnson County: KC voters will make KCI decision
Once again, Johnson Countians will be on the sidelines when a major decision is made about the future of the Kansas City area.
In this case, Kansas City voters will have the say over whether bonds are ever issued to help build the proposed $1.2 billion single terminal at Kansas … Read More »
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In Johnson County, Law Enforcement May Be Scarier than the Bad Guys
Remember when the police used to raid your neighbors’ apartments in the middle of the night, dragging out the men and boys? Or maybe you can recall when uniformed agents randomly arrested people off the street, just to keep the public on their toes? Okay, maybe you don’t remember these …
Read More »2
Move forward with planning for new KCI terminal
Many Kansas Citians love their airport because of its defining feature: pickup and drop off close to the gates.
It’s a great convenience for many travelers — except that it forces inefficiencies in so many other things a modern airport must do. At Kansas City International Airport, the traveling public … Read More »
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A small chunk of change is a big deal to the poor
A thin lifeline for low-income elderly and disabled Missourians who live in rental housing is close to breaking. Gov. Jay Nixon wants it snapped, and now the state Senate does too.
The “circuit breaker” tax credit helps senior and disabled citizens cope when rent increases swallow up too much of … Read More »
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New KCI terminal’s biggest challenge: Will it be convenient?
Mayor Sly James and a crew of city and aviation officials argued Thursday morning that building a new terminal at KCI would be a huge step forward for Kansas City.
Lots of people disagree with that notion, but we’ll get to that in a moment.
The main points made by … Read More »
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Today in bad ideas: Missouri’s ‘Don’t Get Sick’ bill
Missouri Rep. Steve Cookson, the Republican from the Poplar Bluff area who made news last session with his ill-fated “don’t say gay” bill, is back with another preposterous piece of legislation.
This time it’s the “don’t get sick” bill.
Cookson is sponsoring House Bill 1040. It is short and self-explanatory: … Read More »
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Dementia costs to drive up health care expenses
The cost of caring for persons with dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease now is higher than expenses for cancer and heart disease treatment.
That the findings of a new report in the New England Journal of Medicine done by Rand Corp. researchers. In 2010 the yearly amount for nursing home … Read More »