Live Music

If you had listened to a CD instead of going to see Makuza play yesterday afternoon, you would have missed a lot.

You would have missed bassist Ben Leifer lit up by the red neon of the Mike's sign. You wouldn't have seen how the trombonist used his middle finger to catch the bell of his horn and control his slide. Bobby Watson literally jumping with enthusiasm as he jammed would not have come across on a CD. You would have missed the dancing of the older woman, and her kicks over the head of David Basse.

I made a late New Years' resolution to see live music at least once a week.

Birthday Tributes to the Man in Black

Today is Johnny Cash's birthday. He would have been 74. In Parade Magazine, I came upon this stirring tribute:

In my inbox this morning was Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac (if you aren't a subscriber, go here and become one), and it included the lyrics to Folsom Prison Blues:

I hear the train a comin'; it's rollin' 'round the bend,
And I ain't seen the sunshine since I don't know when.
I'm stuck at Folsom Prison and time keeps draggin' on.
But that train keeps rollin' on down to San Antone.

When I was just a baby, my mama told me, "Son
Always be a good boy; don't ever play with guns."
But I shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.
When I hear that whistle blowin' I hang my head and cry.

I bet there's rich folk eatin' in a fancy dining car.
They're prob'ly drinkin' coffee and smokin' big cigars,
But I know I had it comin', I know I can't be free,
But those people keep a movin', and that's what tortures me.

Well, if they freed me from this prison, if that railroad train was mine,
I bet I'd move on over a little farther down the line,
Far from Folsom Prison, that's where I want to stay,
And I'd let that lonesome whistle blow my blues away

That song will be stuck in my head all day, at least until I go to BB's Lawnside for the debut of Troost Avenue Blues, or to Mike's Tavern for some Latin Jazz at a benefit for the UMKC Conservatory Jazz Program.

I think Johnny would like the idea of catching some live music on his birthday. Maybe even more than that sweet train.

Troost Avenue - Is That a Pulse I'm Feeling?

Troost Avenue holds a vivid place in the imagination of most Kansas Citians. It's a nice, broad street with some charming businesses on it, but it has long served as the unofficial boundary between black and white Kansas City - so much so that a now defunct restaurant at Troost and Gregory assumed the name Grace - A Bistro on the Edge.

A lot of white Kansas Citians view Troost as the beginning of a dangerous ghetto. A lot of white Kansas Citians have never driven on Troost. A lot of black Kansas Citians have seen the malignant disregard paid to the formerly glorious street, and it has fed their resentment.

The tortured role of Troost Avenue is portrayed in Troost Avenue Blues, a 30 minute, three part blues rumination which will debut on Sunday afternoon at BB's Lawnside Barbecue.

But there is something happening on Troost, and it's positive. If you explore the neglected street, you'll see that some wonderful growth has begun, and there are things to appeal to a wide range of interests.

First, you can find "Garments for a Bewildered Electorate" at Ideal Garment and Scientific Panty (no, I'm not making that up). Owner Susan Wiegand, author of the quirky, wonderful and inspired "Cooking as Courtship" sells garments that reflect her passionate belief that clothing should both look and feel great. She has set up shop in a fantastic old firehouse, and she and her husband Jeff make visitors feel welcome and, at least in my case, much more hip than they truly are.

A few blocks south is the Discovery Center, ten acres of nature in the heart of the city. You'll find walking trails, museum exhibits, a fine gift shop (with awesome and inexpensive books on Missouri wildlife) and a courtyard full of activity at a dozen or so bird feeders.

If you haven't been to Mike's Tavern, you've been missing out on a classic dive bar, with pool tables, live music, and cold beer. Just go there.

A few blocks further south is Durwin Rice, a paper and decoupage shop with an extremely mellow and friendly dog. The owners are working hard to meet an audacious goal of having 10,000 tulips planted on Troost before October, in honor of Dr. Benoist Troost's Dutch heritage.

There's more on Troost, of course. Rockhurst University has a beautiful quad. New York Bakery & Deli sells a killer Reuben sandwich. Soil Service Garden Center is a great place to buy plants and other garden necessities.

What do you like about Troost?

Missouri Republicans - Lying for the Lord

Missouri Republicans in Jefferson City are pushing a law to require schools and local governments to use religious holiday names, and are lying about what they are doing. Representative Mike Cunningham (R-145) has introduced HB 1642, which provides:

For any holiday observed, recognized, or otherwise referred to by any state department or agency, public school, any public institution of higher education, or any political subdivision of this state, such department, agency, public school, institution of higher education, or political subdivision shall, for all purposes, use the traditional name of the holiday, including but not limited to use of the traditional holiday names of "New Year's Day", "Martin Luther King Jr Day", "Lincoln's Birthday", "Washington's Birthday", "Easter", "Truman Day", "Memorial Day", "Fourth of July" or "Independence Day", "Labor Day", "Columbus Day", "Veterans Day", "Thanksgiving Day", "Hanukkah", "Christmas", and "Kwanzaa".

In an interview with Frank Morris on KCUR, Representative Mike Cunningham does his best to assure us that this bill has no religious purpose - but he acknowledges that it's rooted in Bill O'Reilly's "War on Christmas". Of course he also claims that the bill was not inspired by anything at all, but claims that some people fear that they can't use the word "Christmas" or, oddly enough, "Martin Luther King Day".

Mike, let me give you a friendly hint. You sound like a freaking idiot when you lie. Go ahead and admit it - this is a bill to make governmental agencies and schools use the word "Christmas" instead of "Holiday". Your faux concern about people using some other word to describe Martin Luther King Day is a transparent cover-up that's not fooling anyone. While I'm sure that God appreciates your effort, if He'd wanted you to lie for Christianity, He would have made you a more convincing liar.

Who Does Bush Trust?

On the one hand, you have an average, taxpaying, law abiding, middle-class American calling her child who is doing a term abroad in Germany. Bush wants complete access to their conversation, without having to tell anyone about it.

On the other hand, you have a group of shady businessmen with ties to al Qaeda coming in to take control of bringing sealed containers into the heart of large American cities. Bush trusts them, because they're wealthy.

Why does Bush hate Americans? Why does Bush love Arab oil men?

Missouri Lawyer's Memory So Bad He Can't Remember When Christmas Occurs

Dee Wampler, a lawyer in Springfield, Missouri, is raising a stink about the fact that the school board down there is calling the break from 12/25 until 1/5 "Winter Vacation", instead of "Christmas Vacation". I don't consider myself a very good person with dates (Mom, your birthday card is coming in February, I promise!), but even I'm able to remember the date of Christmas.

Maybe if he took the time to note the date on his calendar, rather than faxing publicity-begging, self-righteous letters to the newspaper, Dee would be able to remember His birthday.

Note, though, that if you're hiring a lawyer in Springfield, you should be careful to get one who can remember deadlines and trial dates without a school calendar . . .

Private Health Care Might Kill You

This story is absolutely sickening - a man named Tracy Pierce died because his health insurance company refused to pay for treatment.

Despite being fully insured, every treatment his doctors sought for him was denied by his insurance provider. First-Health Coventry deemed the treatments were either not a medical necessity or experimental.

"I don't know what else to do but just wait," Tracy Pierce said last May.

As he waited, his doctors appealed again and again, including a 27-page appeal spelling out that Tracy Pierce would die without care. Coventry dismissed each request.

This same company, First-Health Coventry, finds bogus reasons to deny treatment to children with cancer.

Yes, you read that correctly. First-Health Coventry makes money by letting children die of cancer, when there are treatments available which could save their lives.

If you work for First-Health Coventry, you need to think about how you are spending your life. If you own stock in First-Health Coventry, you should be ashamed of yourself. If you are insured by First-Health Coventry, your life is in danger.

The Sky Didn't Fall And Crime Didn't Vanish

Two years after the Missouri Legislature ignored the will of its constituents and imposed a concealed carry law on the state, it looks like the law has had neither the positive effects promised nor the negative effects feared.

Oscar Contest Advice - Documentary Short

I went out yesterday to Screenland and saw a presentation of all four nominees for the Academy Awards' Documentary Short Category. I had never been to Scrrenland before, but I will be making it a regular visit now - really nice theater, cocktails available, reasonable concession prices, and comfortable seats. If they had turned the heat up over, say, 40 degrees, the viewing experience would have been perfect.

As for the movies - the winner is definitely going to be A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin. It's a grand, stirring portrayal of a giant of the golden age of radio at the peak of the medium. Based loosely around his broadcase on the night of WWII's VE Day, it conveys the emotion and passion of an earlier age and an earlier art form, both long departed.

If the Academy were to somehow reject A Note of Triumph, the next most likely winner would be The Mushroom Club, which is a rambling assessment of the continuing, though fading, impact of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. It isn't a bad movie by any means, but it casts too broad a net for its 35 minute length. It tries to cover everything from birth defects to loud jet skis intruding on Hiroshima's Peace Park, and leaves you with little more than the thought that the atomic bomb was catastrophic for Hiroshima. I got the sense that the director was too respectful of the sad stories he filmed to leave any of them on the cutting room floor.

I really enjoyed The Death of Kevin Carter: Casualty of the Bang Bang Club, a touching portrayal of the charismatic South African photographer who won a Pulitzer for the famous photo of a vulture watching a dying child in the Sudan. Carter committed suicide as apartheid came to an end in his home country, and the driving force for much of his career and passion came to a close. This movie has the distinction, however, of ending on the stupidest closing line ever, as one of his friends intones, "The new South African society has been growing for ten years now, and Kevin is ten years dead. I don't think that's a coincidence." Isn't it strange that anniversaries of events that happen at the same time tend to occur at the same time?

Finally, God Sleeps in Rwanda manages to make 28 minutes seem like two hours, as a flat-voiced narrator introduces interviews of women who survived the horrible ethnic cleansing in Rwanda and are rebuilding a country with a greatly expanded role for women. The movie just can't make up its mind. It wants to be a triumphant feminist documentary about the survival and strength of these women rebuilding a society, but it cannot help but indulge itself with lengthy looks back at the history of rape and murder. Overly dependent on close-cropped talking head interviews with subtitles (even when the speakers use English), you are left with admiration for the women portrayed and a sense that the director has punished you for not caring enough.

So, there you go. If you're in an office pool, go with A Note of Triumph.

Gay Foster Parents in Jackson County, Missouri - For How Long?

In a move that garnered much less attention in the bar world yesterday than the stoppage of "defective equipment" pleas, Judge Sandra Midkiff overturned the state's refusal to allow a gay couple to serve as foster parents.

In the first such case in Missouri, a Jackson County judge ruled Friday that the state could not deny a lesbian a foster parent license.

There was no dispute that Lisa Johnston was well qualified, but the state contended she lacked “reputable character” because her sexual relationship with another woman broke state law. So the state denied the license.

But Missouri’s law against same-sex sodomy between consenting adults is unenforceable, Jackson County Judge Sandra Midkiff ruled Friday.

This ruling is a wonderful one, both in terms of legal clarity and policy results, so a part of me just wants to enjoy the moment. Unfortunately, the forces of Missouri Moronity are already working on clouding the sunshine.

Attorney General Jay "Worst Democrat in the World" Nixon has pledged an appeal. (To those who would defend this pandering jackass as "only doing his job", don't even start. He actually allowed his lawyers to argue that "living with an openly homosexual parent places a child in an immoral environment that will impede a child’s moral development." That kind of idiocy is not acceptable in polite company.)

Even if the decision stands up to Nixon's best lawyering in the Court of Appeals (if he was stupid enough to make that argument to a judge like Midkiff, who prefers legal arguments to neanderthal posturing, who knows if he can put together a winning brief for the higher courts?), I wonder how this will play out long-term. I can easily picture the Missouri Moronity working to change the law through the legislature, or seeking to pass another anti-human rights amendment. Their hatred of anyone different than themselves will certainly force them to try something, anything, to avoid this result.

God forbid that a loving home be opened to a hurt and needful child.

Kansas City Municipal Court - No More "Defective Equipments" - And Star Misses the Story to Claim "Credit"?

The first legal matter I handled was a traffic ticket for an older attorney. The guy had been caught speeding in a suburb, and I went to the prosecutor, introduced myself, and a few minutes later the speeding charge was reduced to a "defective equipment" - which is a non-moving violation without points to be assessed against his license, and without insurance rate increases.

I had no proof of a defective speedometer, nor was any sought. The fine for the defective equipment charge was exactly double what it would have been for the speeding charge. I had a pleased client (my employer at the time, so that was important), the prosecutor and judge didn't have to try a case, the police officer didn't have to show up and testify, and the city got twice as much revenue. It was all so . . . convenient.

It felt dirty, though, in the immortal phrase of rationalization, everybody does it.

Until recently, you could handle tickets in the same fashion in Kansas Cit, Missouri - you even do them by mail - there was a memo specifying exactly how to do it, and the forms are available online. Except by "you", I don't mean most of you. I mean attorneys - you had to hire a lawyer to do the paperwork for you. Why? Umm, well, ummmm, well, that's just the way it is. Coincidentally, all the judges are lawyers, most of whom made a significant portion of their income from handling tickets that way. Coincidentally, former prosecutors often wind up doing the same. The requirement of hiring an attorney kept a subset of the bar employed, and it's possible to have a fairly lucrative practice just by handling hundreds of traffic tickets with a fee of $100 or so each.


As of end of business today, the Kansas City Municipal Court will no longer be doing "defective equipment" amendments. Galen Beaufort, the City Attorney of Kansas City, is putting a stop to the practice, and the lawyers are howling with outrage. A lawyer listserve I belong to was buzzing last night with anguish and plans to fight the change in policy by trying every speeding case - clogging the courts, reducing city revenue, and inconveniencing police officers. We'll see what happens.

The Kansas City Star makes it sound like this policy change comes as a result of its investigation into defective equipment pleas published two weeks ago(link unavailable due to archaic archiving practices by the Star). That's only half the story, though.

I've heard that one of the municipal judges has been making noise about two Iowa cases that say the whole process is unethical - Iowa Supreme Court Disciplinary Board v. Howe, 706 N.W.2d 360 (IA 2005), and Iowa Supreme Court Disciplinary Board v. Zenor, 707 N.W.2d 176 (IA 2005). In a nutshell, those cases say that, under Iowa law, it is unethical to agree to an amendment to a charge without probable cause to believe it is a legitimate charge. If a prosecutor has no basis for believing you had defective equipment on your car, s/he can't amend your speeding ticket to that charge.

We'll see how this all works out. The Iowa cases are not binding in Missouri. If the ethics issue is really motivating the change, why is the prosecutor's office still accepting amendments through the close of business today?

I'll keep you posted.

PDA - Public Display of Argument

Kansas City Councilman Bill Skaggs apparently doesn't like the new sculpture installed at the airport. In an article about what the public art outside the Sprint Center will be, he was quoted: "I just hope it’s better than what they put at the airport,” Councilman Bill Skaggs said. “Have you seen that junk up there?"

His wife of 42 years responded by writing a letter to the editor. She reports that she loves the airport sculpture, and, lest anyone think that Bill is getting off light for voicing his opinion, "I assure you Bill and I will be further exploring this notion of "art.'"

Let's hope that they don't resort to the editorial papers over their disagreements on channel-surfing next . . .

Apology to Whittington

My voice joined the chorus on Sunday making light of Mr. Whittington's injuries. I used the news to make fun of some of the tendencies of the right wing, the left wing, and the media, without paying much attention to the fact that the guy was still in the Intensive Care Unit.

My judgment fell victim to the right wing spin machine and its accomplices in the corporate media. Even though he was hospitalized, we were told just got sprayed, and that he was alert and talking. The corporate media repeated that he got "sprayed" or "peppered", and implied it was his own fault (which those of us who have ever learned anything gun safety knew was a ludicrous lie).

Yesterday, one of the pellets triggered a heart attack. This was no spraying or peppering - this guy had lead penetrate through his clothes and into his chest cavity. Our vice president was saved from a negligent homicide charge only because millionaire republican lawyers get superb health care.

I am sincerely sorry for believing the White House spin machine and the corporate media as they minimized the seriousness of what happened. I promise never to give this administration the benefit of the doubt - whether they're minimizing the financial impact of tax breaks, whether they're minimizing the scope of their super-secret domestic spying program, or whether they're minimizing the importance of outing a CIA agent. The White House has squandered its credibility, and the stenographic journalists have damaged their own.

It turns out that getting shot in the face is not funny - it's life-threatening. That's why the White House delayed releasing the information as long as they could - they needed to get the beer out of Cheney's system and off his breath before he spoke to anyone.

Kansas City's University?

Look who's on the search committee for the new dean for UMKC's College of Arts and Sciences:

Frances Connelly, Associate Professor, Art and Art History
Diane Filion, Associate Professor and Department Chair, Psychology
Andrew Holder, Professor, Chemistry
Tom Mardikes, Associate Professor, Theatre
Rita Messina, Administrative Assistant, Geosciences
Peter Morello, Associate Professor, Communications Studies
Kenneth Novak, Associate Professor, Sociology/Criminal Justice
Sarah Peters, UMKC Student, President A&S Student Council
Kamel Rekab, Professor and Department Chair, Mathematics
Dan Stoll, UMKC Alumnus, Director of International Academic Affairs
Ed Underwood, Associate Professor and Director, Institute for Urban Education
Linda Voigts, Emeritus Curators' Professor of English Literature
Amy Zeh, Part-time faculty, Composition, IPh.D Student

Are you feeling the love, Kansas City? Do you see anyone from outside the ivory tower in that list? Because if you're a community member, and you think Kansas City's voices, or even the voices of Missouri taxpayers, ought to be heard in the selection of the next dean of UMKC's College of Arts and Sciences, there are some good people (no sarcasm here - truly good people) in UMKC's administration who need to hear from you. Please consider giving Provost Bruce Bubasz a polite (and I mean polite!) call at 235.1107.

How to Know You're Losing Your Grip on Reality

When I was practicing law, one of the most horrifying cases I handled was one where a young man was painting duct work on the ceiling of an auditorium. The scaffolding collapsed beneath him, and he grabbed onto the duct as the scaffold formed a pile of jagged pipes and boards. His cries for help went unheard. After a while - nobody knows how long - his grip failed, and he fell into paralysis.

Intellectual paralysis is not so dramatic. It happens gradually.

If you think that the Cheney hunting accident has any serious political importance - from either a liberal or conservative perspective - you need to work on wiggling your toes, before it's too late.

If I Don't Make Tony's Kansas City for this One . .

I am a student at UMKC - finishing up a Master's degree. Today, the following appeared in my student email box:

-----Original Message-----
From: UMKC Women's Center Announcement List
Sent: Mon 2/13/2006 10:50 AM
Subject: [WOMENSCENTER] Quick gifts for V-Day

Come by Royal Hall from 10am - 2pm on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday to buy your sweetie (or yourself) a great Valentine! We have chocolate vaginas, buttons, and condoms (for free). All proceeds to go the Sex Fair - a great way to continue your Valentine week!

Upcoming Events!

Wednesday, February 22

SEX FAIR

Ever heard of a G-spot? What about a female condom? Join Feminists United and the residents of the Women In Living and Learning Community for toys, games, workshops with local sex educators, sensual food. Come and learn about having great sex - which is the safest sex of all. Update! - the Sex Fair will include Tulip, Chicago's feminist sex toy store. Two sex toy experts from the Windy City will be on hand to
answer all your sex questions and get you hooked up with some sexy goods.

Time: 3:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Location: Pierson Auditorium

Get Your Tickets Today!

Now, let me be clear, that I am totally supportive of the Women's Center, and I think this is a worthy event. But, let's face it, I'm immature enough to giggle at the thought of giving or receiving a chocolate vagina.

Why Photo Voter ID is a Republican Dream, and a Citizen's Nightmare

Republicans are agitating to make Missouri one of the most restrictive states in the nation when it comes to voting. Their current plan is to require photo ID for voters.

At first blush, this requirement seems common-sensible enough. I have to show my driver's license when I want to write a check at the grocery store, unless the clerk recognizes me, and it won't cause me any undue stress to show it on Election Day (unless they look at the weight listed, and give me grief for getting fatter . . .).

But I'm not the target of this proposal. The target is the 170,000 elderly and handicapped people that the republicans have been attacking through health care cuts and decreased services. Those little old ladies and gentlemen, mostly poor, tend to vote with the party that represents the common man, and that is most definitely not the party of Governnor Blunt. So the republicans want to silence them at the ballot box.

When asked about the thousands of voters who would lose their right to vote under his proposal, Republican Michael Gibbons says he "envisions teams of state workers sent out to help photograph voters who are home-bound or in nursing homes." Hey, Mikey, are you envisioning funding provided for that? Are you envisioning poor black people happily opening their homes to camera-wielding government agents?

Or are you really just envisioning Missouri with 170,000 fewer poor and elderly voters?

Cheney Shoots Hunter - the News Cycle

Yesterday, Vice President Dick Cheney shot a fellow quail hunter in the face and neck. It appears that the injuries are serious, though the man will likely survive. This is a sad story, and it takes an undisciplined ass to shoot someone while quail hunting, but I'll leave the cries for justice to others. Instead, I'll map out the way the story will run for the next few days.

* Someone tells Bush, interrupting him as he reads a children's book to himself. He finishes the book, and then asks whether Iran was behind the shooting.

* The Pentagon begins plans to invade Iran, as a response to the attack on America.

* Democratic leaders express reservations about whether we should invade Iran and propose sanctions on Tehran instead.

* The New York Times and the Washington Post enthusiastically support the invasion, and Judith Miller shows up at the nearest military base, ready to be embedded.

* The lefty blogosphere howls in protest, pointing out that the quail had nothing to do with Iran, and calling for an investigation into whether Cheney had a valid hunting license.

* Right wing bloggers call the lefties unpatriotic, and claim that the administration has inherent authority to engage in licenseless hunts.

* Hillary Clinton agrees with the administration on invading Iran, but wants all quail hunters to be supplied with facial armor.

* College Republicans question the patriotism of anyone who doesn't support shooting quail, though they themselves refuse to pick up a shotgun.

* A helpful aide explains to George W. Bush that this story has nothing to do with his father's Vice president.

* Joe Lieberman calls upon the Democratic Party to unite behind Our Glorious Leader, George W. Bush. Chris Matthews questions why it took him so long.

* The Pentagon issues a "stop loss" order, requiring any person who played "army" while growing up to reenlist, while denying that this action in any way resembles a draft.

* Congress decides to cut down on paperwork and simply give Halliburton a trillion dollars.

* The citizens of Iran greet the liberating army with rose-shaped IEDs, and no quail are found anywhere in the country.

* Bush questions the patriotism of anyone who wants to "live in the past" and discuss why we invaded Iran.

A Few New Links on the Side

I try to keep a fairly comprehensive and varied list of links on the left side of this page - it's a handy place for me to go and get to my favorites. I have it set up so that the links don't open in a new window, so I can always get back with a click or two on the "back" button. So, without further adieu, here are a few new links I want to be on my list of regular visits . . .

J-Dub (aka Mocommonsense) is a young blogger out of Columbia. I had a lot of fun in Columbia when I was in law school there, and I still enjoy the occasional visit. J-Dub is the kind of guy I'd enjoy having a beer with and discussing politics over a game of pool at Booche's.

Three O'Clock in the Morning is a generally conservative Kansas-side blogger, but, if you read his work for a while, you can tell that he's almost smart enough to become a liberal. He also enjoys a thoughtful discussion, and eschews throwing out simple talking points.

Sirvinegar: blue in the face is just damned funny. Check out, for example, his take on the recent DC nerve gas scare:

You could be a winner!
Okay, everybody, check your entry forms. Who out there had "Nerve Agent", "Senate Building", and "2/8/2006" in the most recent Cheney/Rove False Alarm office pool?

I had "Capital Dome", "Anthrax", and next Tuesday down for mine. I have the worst luck at these sorts of things.

The best I could do was a lame reference to Jack Bauer, so lame that it didn't even make it past my lax internal censor.

I also have to add a link to Death's Door, because everybody loves Death's Door. It and Tony's Kansas City are the sole common threads among Kansas City's blogging community. Unfortunately for me, though, something on Death's Door does not cooperate with a RAM-starved Powerbook G3 running Firefox on OS X 10.3.9, and it makes my computer freeze up. Enjoy it, those of you with better equipment!

Finally, I'm adding a link to the Missouri Ethics Commission's page for searching donations to state candidates. It's a good tool for finding out who's financing whom.

How do you find new music?

I'm sitting here watching the Grammies, and wondering who's off base. I don't know most of the singers or groups, and what I'm seeing of them makes me feel quite okay with that. I'm inclined to call it a bunch of crap, and recede into a world where, I fear, I won't hear anything recorded less than a decade ago, unless it's put down by Neil Young, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, or Bob Dylan.

I don't want to be like that.

Right now, I rely on my kids and some of the brilliant bloggers like Fine Tune, Fluxblog and There Stands the Glass (which deserves a special shout-out, since it exists to bring exposure to overlooked music). And they have truly enriched my life. I appreciate and celebrate them.

But it seems like years ago, new music happened more organically. I remember drinking beer at the Soccer Dome after a game a decade ago, and hearing Living Colour's Love Rears its Ugly Head. I remember hopping in the car after winning an election, and hearing Tom Cochrane's upbeat Life is a Highway.

I don't want to lose new music in my life. How do you find new music?

Cleaver's (D-Visa) Bankruptcy Law Hurts People

A friend forwarded Judge Frank Monroe's opinion in In re: Sosa. Judge Monroe, a respected and experienced bankruptcy judge, was forced in that case to dismiss a working couple's petition for bankruptcy because they had not complied with provisions that are "inane," "absurd" and incomprehensible to "any rational human being." These provisions were passed in 2005, and one of the few democrats crossing the aisle to help defeat this couple's attempt to keep their mobile home was none other than Mayor Cleaver - a man I respect and appreciate, but who made a horrible mistake on this one.

Read the opinion - it captures the frustration of a good judge applying bad law - bad law brought about by Congressmen who are beholden to credit card companies (and perhaps a certain highly successful mortgage company here in Kansas City?). As stated by Judge Monroe, "it is not the individual consumers of this country that make the donations to the members of Congress that allow them to be elected and re-elected and re-elected and re-elected."

Big, Glaring, Intentional Lies about Gitmo

"These are people picked up off the battlefield in Afghanistan. They weren't wearing uniforms ... but they were there to kill."
-- President Bush, June 20, 2005

"These detainees are dangerous enemy combatants....They were picked up on the battlefield, fighting American forces, trying to kill American forces."
-- White House press secretary Scott McClellan, June 21, 2005

"The people that are there are people we picked up on the battlefield, primarily in Afghanistan. They're terrorists. They're bomb makers. They're facilitators of terror. They're members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban....We've let go those that we've deemed not to be a continuing threat. But the 520-some that are there now are serious, deadly threats to the United States."
-- Vice President Cheney, June 23, 2005

"These are people, all of whom were captured on a battlefield. They're terrorists, trainers, bomb makers, recruiters, financiers, [Osama bin Laden's] bodyguards, would-be suicide bombers, probably the 20th 9/11 hijacker."
-- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, June 27, 2005

These are bald-faced lies from the same people who want us to believe that the super-secret spying program they have fought so hard to hide from us is focused solely on people talking to al Qaida. Can any patriotic American believe them on that?

Who Knew the "Al" in al Qaida Stands for Alzheimer's?

This is simply funny, as Gonzalez gets busted on one of the administration's talking points. Hint: When you're in a hole, stop digging . . .

BIDEN: Thank you very much.

General, how has this revelation damaged the program?

I'm almost confused by it but, I mean, it seems to presuppose that these very sophisticated Al Qaida folks didn't think we were intercepting their phone calls.

I mean, I'm a little confused. How did it damage this?

GONZALES: Well, Senator, I would first refer to the experts in the Intel Committee who are making that statement, first of all. I'm just the lawyer.

And so, when the director of the CIA says this should really damage our intel capabilities, I would defer to that statement. I think, based on my experience, it is true -- you would assume that the enemy is presuming that we are engaged in some kind of surveillance.

But if they're not reminded about it all the time in the newspapers and in stories, they sometimes forget.

My only question is, who does the administration really think is stupid. Al Qaida or us?

This is my 500th Post

I don't monitor my traffic as closely as I used to, but I recently noticed an uptick in visitors, and a new referral site. I was truly shocked when I saw that I was nominated for a Koufax Award, one of the most prestigious awards available to bloggers. I could try to be cool and act like I don't really care, but honesty compels me to admit that the nomination made me pathetically happy and proud.

This is my 500th post, and as such, it provides an arbitrary point to stop for a second and think about this site, rather than the latest political news or amusing news story. In short, I'm going to be self-indulgent for the next few paragraphs.

Since I started this blog almost 3 years ago, I've had a little under 200,000 visitors, from all over the place, including, just last week, traffic from Canada, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Thailand, the Principality of Andorra, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, Ireland, Israel, India, the US Military, New Zealand, Poland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

Writing this blog has been fun and challenging. I started it because I wanted to sharpen my writing skills - I continue it because it's a way of participating in the world of ideas. Yes, I'm egotistical enough to think that I may have helped some people articulate their thoughts, that I may have changed a few minds, and that I may have caused some guilt pangs in some of the people who voted for this administration.

I've made a few friends through this blog, and stayed in touch with old ones. My kids read this blog, and so do at least one of my brothers, one of my sisters, one of my aunts and my mother. I've received some touching emails, and some pissed off ones. I value those visitors who take the time to comment - I've never had to delete one for content. They've often challenged me to think more deeply or creatively on topics. Thank you to all the readers and commenters.

A lot of blogs out there are doing some great things. The blogosphere is a vibrant place for arts, political thought, travel, music and more. This is my corner of it. I hope you enjoy it - it means a lot to me.

Rumsfeld - Hitler on the Mind

United States Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld obviously spends a lot of time thinking about Adolf Hitler. Back in May, he resorted to the Nazi leader for a comparison to Zarqawi. Prior to that, he ruffled Russian feathers by comparing Lenin to Hitler.

Last week, Rumsfeld was back on the Hitler comparison, dropping it on Venezuela's Hugo Chavez in his bizarre statement that "He's a person who was elected legally — just as Adolf Hitler was elected legally . . ."

While it's certainly understandable that a member of the Bush administration would view legal elections with disdain, Rumsfeld's obsession with Hitler is more than a little bizarre.

Godwin's Law is a tradition on the internet that once such a comparison to Nazis or Hitler is made, the thread in which the comment was posted is over and whoever mentioned the Nazis has automatically lost whatever debate was in progress. While the comparison may be apt once in a great while, resorting to Hitler is almost always a form of "going nuclear" when logic and calm analysis are failing you. Like when you're advancing Bush's foreign policy . . .

Missouri Senator Stouffer Uses Terrorism

Missouri Republican Senator Stouffer is out to stop people from photographing or videotaping Missouri's puppy mills, hog farms and chicken houses. He has introduced Senate Bill 615 (pdf), which would not only require express written permission to enter a farm and make such photos and videotapes, but would also make it a crime to possess or distribute any photographic, video or electronic images from within an animal facility.

Why are pictures of farms worthy of such attention? Because Moark, a corporate farm in Neosho, got caught on videotape dumping live, injured chickens, and wound up having to pay $100,000 to build a Humane Society facility as part of a settlement with the local prosecutor. Stouffer defends corporate farmers, so they will continue to make campaign contributions to him.

All this is typical politics with another corrupt Missouri republican, of course. What stinks to high heaven, though, is that Stouffer is attempting to justify this unnecessary special-interest legislation by pointing to terrorism:

Stouffer said his bill was largely meant to protect “the food supply” during the present time of terrorists threats.

“The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) says our food supply is the most vulnerable target for terrorist attacks,” Stouffer maintained. “This bill will tighten things up a little bit and put some teeth in the statutes by broadening the law.”

Let's stop right here, okay? Using terrrorism as an excuse to pass special-interest legislation protecting cruel chicken farms is simply unacceptable. I sincerely doubt that Al Qaeda is videotaping the pig farms of Neosho, and, if they are, I doubt they will be stopped by the prospect of a local cop enforcing this law.

Senator Stouffer, quit relying on the threat of terrorism to accomplish your political goals.

(Note: This bill is now in the Judicial and Civil & Criminal Jurisprudence Committee of the Missouri Legislature whose members include: Matt Bartle, R-8, Chair; Rob Mayer, R-25, Vice-Chair; Bill Alter, R-22; Jason Crowell, R-27; Jack Goodman,R-29; Chris Koster, R-31; Victor Callahan, D-11; Chuck Graham, D-19 and Charles Wheeler, D-10. Contacting them to oppose this bill may help in assuring its defeat.)

Quote of the Millenium

Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), an African-American, when asked for a quick reaction to Bush: "I really think that he shatters the myth of white supremacy once and for all . . ."

This dates back to April, but I first saw it yesterday. Well stated, Congressman.

Good In-Ten-tions - the Ten Cup Coffee House

I met with a couple people yesterday at the Ten Cup* - a new coffee house in the shops at 59th and Holmes. If you're wondering "what shops at 59th and Holmes?", well, that's one of the challenges the place is going to face. The shops have been home to a few decent restaurants and boutique-y type shops, but nothing has ever seemed to last there, because neither 59th nor Holmes at that point is exactly a well-traveled thoroughfare. The intersection of two lane roads in a part of town most people have never visited and most wrongly assume is a "bad" nieghborhood** is not an auspicious place to start a business that relies on a high volume of customers forking over under $5 each.

But, that said, any business that locates east of Main and is locally-owned gets my emotional support.

Speaking of support, the most innovative thing the Ten Cup is doing is dividing ten percent of their quarterly profits among ten local charities. It's a nice gimmick, and I hope it works for them. Presumably, the ten charities will spread the word among their constituents, and the Ten Cup gets nearly-free publicity. Given the tenuous profitability of a coffee shop in a questionable location, I doubt the charities will be getting big checks.

The space is nice, in a cozy, earth-tone style, and the walls carry cosy, earth-tone paintings for sale in case some caffeine-crazed customer with poor immpulse control decides that s/he simply must have a boring painting for the home. The furniture is nice and comfy,though there's not too much of it. If the place gets busy, that could be an issue, but it's not a problem yet.

When I go to a coffee shop, I'm there for the coffee, and the coffee was very good. By very good, I mean way up there with the best in town - better than Starbucks, and comparable to the Broadway Cafe and the Roasterie. The food looked good, but, again, I'm there for the coffee. One of my companions had a chocolate muffin covered with shiny, dripping ganache that she pronounced "pretty good" but not near as good as the cookie she had there a few days before.

To sum up, I think the place deserves some support, but I'm not optimistic that it will get it. I'm ever-so-slightly uncomfortable with charities lending their names to a business for what is likely to be small or no return, but, on the other hand, it seems like a nice, community-oriented business, and what's the harm?

*No website yet. How somebody starts a business that relies on word-of-mouth publicity without having a website up and running a month or so before the business opens escapes me . . .

**It's not a bad neighborhood, but, in the twin interests of full disclosure and passing on a funny anecdote, a lawyer buddy of mine used to live within a stone's throw of the place about a decade ago. One morning, he went out to go to work only to find that vandals had rolled his Acura over onto its roof. Comedy gold - I wish I could have seen his face. He moved to Johnson County, and tripled his commute.

Blunt's Short-Sighted, Incompetent Loan Scheme

Matt Blunt has turned his attention to student loans, and is threatening to sell the nonprofit Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority to the highest bidder. This sale would generate a one-time influx of cash he can then distribute to favored projects. In a nutshell, he's seeking to sell the milk cow that has been helping thousands of Missourians pursue their dreams. He'll have some cash to toss around, and the potential recipients are eager to see him follow through, but the future generations of students who will be harmed by this fiscal fire sale have no voice.

Fortunately for Missourians, the agency has come up with a plan to stay alive. By selling some of its assets, the agency can give Blunt his opportunity to play sugar daddy, while still providing the discounts and opportunities that have made a difference for thousands of Missourians who weren't blessed with corrupt fathers and their tobacco-lobbyist funds. In other words, Blunt's plan was not only wrong-headed, but he wasn't even very good at figuring out how to do it. He was ready to sell the milk cow, but he wasn't even getting a good price for it.

I know this is not a sexy story, but it's an important one, with themes that should resonate a whole lot further than the sex scandals or "gotcha" slips of the tongue that tend to make for fun blog posts. The Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority is a nonprofit agency doing a great job, with little fanfare or attention. Those who tend to view private industry is inherently more effective than nonprofit agencies or government are simply wrong when the goal of an organization is not necessarily to generate as much profit as possible. Oftentimes, bureaucracies are the most effective tool to accomplish important goals.

Also, the Blunt administration is willing to sacrifice the long-term best interests of Missouri for a few photo-ops when he gets to hand big checks to grateful deans. It's cynical, ugly politics, but when you're the fifth most hated governor in the entire country, it's time to make some desperate moves. And who's going to be the voice of future needy college students?