originalmo_trucker's Blog

As part of the recent  outbreak of salmonella the Kellogg's company is recalling Austin and Keebler brand peanut butter snack crackers.  These crackers were produced using peanut butter manufactured by the Peanut Corporation of America.  This peanut butter is suspicioned in the illnesses of over 400 people and the deaths of 5.

If you have any peanut butter snack crackers sold under the brands of Austin or Keebler you are advised to not consume them and visit the CDC website or that of the Kellogg's corporation for more details on this matter.

Information gained from an AP article published 1/14/09 

This morning on my way to work, about 2:00AM, I saw a young woman along side the road with a disabled car.  At first I was inclined to go on, as she was using a cell phone and appearred to be all right.  But as I drove on, it struck me that due to the extreme cold she might be in real danger.  When I went back I found that she was in her late teens or early twenties, attired in flannel pajamas, running shoes and a hoodie.  Her cell phone was not getting any reception, and that she had a three month old baby in the car.  I had her get into my car and use my cell phone.  She made several attempts to contact someone, and when she did, she found out that they were several hours away.  I told her to get the baby and I would take her someplace where she and the baby could be safe and warm until she could get someone to come get her.  She asked if I could drop her off in a town that was about twenty miles away, but that was also along my usual route to work.  As she was strapping the car seat in to my car, I saw that she was shivering uncontrollably.  I was afraid that as badly as she was shivering I might have had to pick her up and put her in the car and take her and the baby to an emergency room.  Fortunately she regained enough warmth in the car to appear coherent, so I dropped her off at her residence.

My warning is this; whenever the temperatures drop to as severe a lows as what we had last night and this morning do not take any chances!  This young woman had ran out of gas on a trip to get her boyfriend who had called saying he was too intoxicated to drive, then when she got to where she believed him to be, he wasn't there.  This on a night with below zero temps, plus wind chills below that!

Besides taking off without adequate clothing, having the baby with her, and not enough fuel in the car she had also left her purse and wallet at home!  Then to make matters even more worse, she was over twenty miles to the nearest open gas station or convenience store!

I told her that I wouldn't want to be her boyfriend later today, because she was going to open up one big can of "whoop A##" and pour it all over him!

Recently the media reported on protesters picketing at the Plaza in regards to the retaliation of Isreal against the rocket attacks by Hamas from the Gaza Strip.  There was also a report about one of the Isreali ministers addressing the local Jewish community about the situation.

Frankly, I am dismayed about the situation in the Gaza.   First of all, the Palestinian Authority and the Isreali government had entered into a ceasefire and were working achieving some sort of an agreement about the relationship between themselves.   Then the Hamas group attacks Isreal and naturally Isreal retaliates.  One of the biggest questions that I have, in my mind, is "why hasn't the Palestinian Authority done anything to stop Hamas?"  Hamas has been "openly" active in the Gaza, and yet the Palestinian Authority has done nothing to stop them.  What "authority" does the Palestinian Authority have, if they are unable to stop groups from obtaining weapons, and then using them against a neighboring nation?

I understand the anger and hatred that many of the Palestinian people have against Isreal, but shouldn't they also be aware of the fact that Isreal will not allow itself to be a target of terrorism?  When will the factions finally wake up to the realization that all of the bloodshed of innocent victims has only fueled the flames?

What's next?  Will we see protesters, from both sides, lining up down on the Plaza and hurl rocks, bricks and Molotov Cocktails across Wornall Rd. or Little Blue Parkway at each other?

Just in case some of you missed this show from an earlier broadcast, DO NOT MISS IT TONIGHT!  KCPT, Channel 19, Kansas City will air a segment titled "Team Lioness" on Independent Lens (?).  The segment is about women in the frontlines of the war of Iraq and Afghanistan, the effects they have had upon the local civilians, thier fellow soldiers and themselves.  It also gives information about the changing role of women in combat and how it is currently at odds with the directives of the U.S. Congress.

If you have a daughter, niece, friend or other female soldier in your life I recommend that you catch this show.  I applaud the female soldiers, and the officers who cooperated with the producers in making this film.  Some of the information is eye opening, and of course the subject matter is suited, in some situations, for mature audiences.  (Language, violence; actual battle field footage.)

On Monday, November 17, 2008, Eric Banks, attorney for Gloria Squittero, announced that a settlement had been reached between Ms Squittero's insurance company and Ms Bates regarding the lawsuit that Ms Bates had filed against Ms Squittero, Mayor Mark Funkhowser and the city of Kansas City.  As the settlement was between Ms Squittero's insurance company and Ms Bates there is speculation that Ms Bates might be able to continue the lawsuit against the other respondents; the city of Kansas City and the Mayor.

The reported settlement between Ms Bates and the insurer was about $45,000.00.

I am sure that Ms Bates sufferred some emotional distress by the situation, but a settlement so low indicates one of two things; either the distress wasn't that great or she is looking to fry a bigger kettle of fish with the city and the Mayor.  Perhaps those of you who are cynical might think that the whole situation was one to reinforce the family volunteerism issue at city hall.

Only the next round of actions Ms Bates takes will detail the true or hidden motives behind the entire situation.

A recent series of news stories about corporate bankruptcy filings advises consumers to use caution when purchasing gift cards.  As many of you are aware Circuit City filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy/Reorganization this past week, and the week before that had announced the closing of its KC Metro area stores, and the lay off of several employees and the closing of several other stores.  Currently they are offering sales on the remaining stock in thier KC stores.

Consumers should use caution when purchasing merchandise from Circuit City or any other retailer who has filed bankruptcy, or who appears to be financially troubled.  Even if  you do not buy a gift card this season, be aware that you might have trouble with warranties/guarantees or service on merchandise you might purchase.  Logic tells you that if the store you bought some merchandise from goes out of business you might not have the ability to get warranteed repairs, especially if it is a store brand, or one which does not have widespread national distribution.

Besides the issue of manufacturer's warrantees/guarantees, and gift cards is the issue of "extended warrantee's" or "service contracts".   For many retailers these are cash cows!  They know that they rarely have to do any repairs to the merchandise during the extended warrantee period, and that what service they perform is usually less costly than what the service contract costs the consumer who purchased it.  If they go out of business they will not have to honor your extended warrantee or service contract.

If you find yourself in the situation of needing to give someone a gift, and do not have an idea of what to give, resort to the old stand by; CASH!  It is spendable at any location, and it can be used for whatever the reciever wants.  The added benefit is that your gift card will not become a useless piece of plastic when the corporation you bought it from declares bankruptcy and the bankruptcy court declares it an "unsecured debt".  (Meaning; "Sorry Charlie!   You just gave them a gift!)

If you get a gift card this year as a gift, use it as soon as possible!  DO NOT WAIT!  I know that many people wait until the January and February post Christmas Sales to redeem thier gift cards, but this year there might not be as many retailers in business after the first of the New Year!
 

Recently it was announced that the Missouri Department of Transportation was proposing that U.S. 71 be improved to Interstate Highway status.  At the present time the highway, running south of the city, is a divided highway with limited access.  To meet Federal standards to be approved as an Interstate Highway all at grade crossings, and driveways would have to be eliminated.  In addition, there would have to be outer belt roads constructed to provide access for homeowners located between intersections.

The goal would be to have an Interstate Highway providing direct access to New Orleans from Kansas City.  At the present time much of the truck traffic traveling from Kansas City to New Orleans travels east, to St. Louis, and then south.  If U.S. 71 was improved several miles would be eliminated from the normal route of travel.  This should then result in savings in time and expense for shipping to and from the middle gulf coast.

A news article released by the AP today revealed that Presidential candidate Barack Obama's "Auntie" Zeinuiti, the half sister of his father, was denied residency and asylum four years ago!  She has been residing in Boston, in publicly funded housing, and lists her place of employment as the Boston Housing Authority.  In addition to being denied residency and asylum she was ordered to leave the country by a Federal Immigration Judge at that time.  The Obama campaign denies that Senator Obama had any knowledge of the matter, and that the last time he was in contact with her was two years ago.  The campaign is returning the contributions she made to them, due to regulations restricting the acceptance of donations from foreign nationals.  The Boston Housing Authority claims that they did not know about her status with the INS.

It seems to me that this is just one example of our governments screwing up!  The lady was denied residency and asylum, but yet she can get public housing!  (I know that the Federal government has some stupid regulations about keeping certain information confidential, but shouldn't it be a simple matter that the INS maintain a data base, available to all Federal and State agencies, that would indicate whether or not a decision about someone's status has been made?  They do this with business and the validity of someone's right to work in the U.S.)  In order for us to start tackling some of the problems with illegal immigrants we are going to have to make it so that decisions about residency status are readily available.  This way we will be able to eliminate those people in our nation by denying them services being paid for with our tax dollars! 

On October 1, at 1:05PM Gloria Squitiro, wife of Kansas City Mayor Mark Funkhouser, got into a verbal altercation with two Kansas City International Airport Traffic Control Officers in front of terminal C.  The reason for the verbal tongue lashing, Ms Squitiro recieved a traffic ticket for leaving an unattended vehicle at the curb.  Ms Squitiro contends that she only ran into the terminal to give her husband a pair of eyeglasses he had left in the car.  A witness at the terminal backed up the statements made by the two officers as to what had occurred, and stated that he had warned Ms Squitiro, twice, that she would be ticketed if she left the vehicle unattended.

Gloria, Gloria, Gloria,,,where have you been?  Did you forget your glasses too?  Since 9-11-2001 all airports have had heightened airport security, part of that being no vehicles allowed at curbside without an attendant.  In fact the last time I was there the airport had numerous signs posted advising you of this.  Couldn't you have just given the skycap at the curbside your husband's eyeglasses, a tip, and told him which airlines he was flying out on?  (According to the Police report, available on MyFox news, local section, there were two of them present.)  Or better yet, why don't you just buy Mark a second or third pair of eyeglasses and make sure you have a pair in his briefcase or carry on bag?

Once again Gloria you are showing why the people of Kansas City want you to stay out of the city hall.  You don't seem to catch that you are "the First Lady of Kansas City" and not "the Queen of the Realm".

By now most of us have heard the news that the Kansas City, City Council, has enacted regulations restricting family members of office holders from volunteering in thier office.

Of course the Mayor claims it is retaliation against his wife, Gloria S. (not sure how to spell her last name), for her volunteering at his office and her involvement in the pending "Mammy-Gate" case.

Frankly I am amazed that the city never had any regulations before preventing either the employment of or the volunteering of a family member in the office or department of an elected official.  At almost all levels of government there are regulations preventing this.  The main purpose is to prevent problems with nepotism and corruption.

So "Funk", what gives?  Is it a case of the little woman can't trust you long enough to allow you out of her sight, or are you just a puppet and she is the "brains" in the house?

As we have all been informed by the media (infinitum) that Missouri is one of the key "swing" states, and that we will have more visits by the Presidential candidates than in the past, why is it they seem to only want to do "drive by" politics?  Is it me, or does it seem like all they have been doing is flying into MCI or Lambert Field, hopping into thier bus motorcade, zooming along our interstates with a Police/Secret Service escort, showing up at a location and then making a "say nothing" speech and not taking an unscripted  question and answer session? 

With less than 60 days left before the election it is time they got down to business!  Schedule some debates, some open question and answer sessions, do a tour of some of the areas that are having problems.  Sit down and have a "coffee & cake" meeting with people who have fallen through the cracks (some of those no longer being reported as unemployed or the ones who recently joined the unemployment numbers, the folks in bankruptcy, or foreclosure, the ones without health care but who work everyday trying to make the ends meet, the ones who have lost thier retirement because the company they had worked for declared bankruptcy and raided or underfunded the pension plan so they could pay dividends to stockholders and bonuses to management?)

Isn't it time the candidates got down to campaigning, instead of just showing up?