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Open Thread

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 12:37:19 GMT

Happy Hump Day!

Open Thread

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:51:50 GMT

Good Monday, Wichita!

Tiarht vs. KAKE

Mon, 18 Jun 2007 13:24:14 GMT

Todd Tiahrt has blasted KAKE and other media groups for the recent ad campaign asking him to repeal his 2003 legislation that prohibits public access to a database that tracks all firearms recovered at crime scenes. Along side KAKE is a coalition of mayors against illegal firearms aptly named "Mayors Against Illegal Guns", who claim access to these records is vital to finding the source or origination of the weapon.

What are your thoughts on this?

Personally, I am of the opinion this is a horrible stance for the media to take. Despite your opinion on the matter, the MEDIA (as I have said TIME and TIME again) is supposed to be our unbiased access to the news. Not an entity that gives us their opinion of what is right and what is wrong. We already have POLITICIANS doing that, we do not need another source telling us how to think.

Posted on "The Hall Monitor" blog:

I would like to reaffirm what Zelda said: Gun laws do nothing to deter criminals. Taking firearms out of the hands of people who will obey the law is a RIDICULOUS solution to gun control.

Firearms are prolific in this county (as they are in many parts of the world). Anyone who wants to, and is prepared to illegally possess one, can get a pistol, rifle, automatic weapon, etc.

School children manage to get their hands on shotguns, pistols, semi-automatic rifles...they run amuck in our schools killing and maiming. By virtue of even possessing the weapons, THEY aren't obeying any "gun control" laws.

How is it, these people believe our law enforcement is going to be able to ferret-out gun-toting criminals if all of our undercover officers and informants have been exposed via this law?

As usual, this is a case of a BIASED media attempting to impose it's view of WRONG and RIGHT upon the populace.

~Dubya

Open Thread

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:56:11 GMT

HAPPY FRIDAY!

Racism in Wichita

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:40:58 GMT

Who knew Wichita had such a seedy, disgusting underbelly?

Last night a man of undisclosed race was shot and killed in the 1300 block of Ida, south of Downtown. Unfortunate. While the article was short and to the point, not disclosing the actual events leading up to the incident or even whether or not the situation was gang related, TWO PAGES of comments quickly filled the thread.

Most of these comments were highly charged, highly racist, and totally appauling.

It saddens me to see people react this way. Assumptions and preconceived notions do nothing but perpetuate the very cycle most of these people are talking about "hating".

I am troubled, concerned, and even scared of a white gang member every bit as much as I am of a black gang member. A group of thugs intent on vandalism or mayhem is intimidating no matter what color their skin. Poverty and lack of education create breeding grounds for gangs. It doesn't matter who it is.

I don't experience this kind of hate everyday in my life. Perhaps I've unwittingly been seeing the world through rose-colored glasses. This article ruined my whole day.

http://www.kansas.com/news/updates/story/97259.html

~Dubya

Open Thread

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 14:04:22 GMT

Wednesday's Open Thread!

Open Thread - 06/11

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:41:44 GMT

Open Thread for Monday!

Iraqi Man in Kansas wanted for murder

Mon, 11 Jun 2007 16:30:32 GMT

I wonder if news like this would have even made the news 10 years ago? Probably, I supposed, given the unusual nature of the crime.

It's interesting to me that this man felt the need to purchase handguns here in the United States. What is equally of interest was the amount of time it took for the ATF to realize there might be trouble. It almost seems that if he had not come back to purchase a second gun within a two week time frame, he might have been able to get away with illegally purchasing the first pistol.

The synopsis of the case (from kansas.com) was as follows: Mohammed Ziboon, 26 returned to Wichita today to face charges against him detailed as "making false statements on federal forms". He apparently purchased two handguns (.45 caliber pistols) in a two week period from a local pawn shop.

The LIE came into play because of the fact that the man is currently wanted in Iraq for the murder of his cousin. Oh...and he's an Iraqi citizen, not American.

I guess I'm confused. WHAT IN THE HELL is an Iraqi citizen doing buying a handgun in the US in the first place? Even if he was naturalized (which he was NOT), isn't there a WAITING PERIOD on the purchase of pistols? Isn't that time supposed to be spent verifying these people?

We can't even seem to monitor and keep track of firearm sales in the US, how in the world are we supposed to halt arms shipments from Iran to Iraqi terrorists?

~Dubya

Open Thread - 06/06

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 17:55:10 GMT

D-Day - The Longest Day - Take just a minute to acknowledge those brave men from The Greatest Generation.

Quote to Ponder

Wed, 06 Jun 2007 17:54:10 GMT

What is everyone's opinion of this 1907 quote? Food for thought:

"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.. But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

~Dubya

Open Thread

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 13:11:17 GMT

Was out at the Golf Tournament yesterday through the Chamber of Commerce, so I apologize for not getting the thread opened up yesterday, as scheduled.

Open Thread

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 12:35:49 GMT

Have a great weekend!

Blog Schedule

Fri, 01 Jun 2007 12:20:42 GMT

Just wanted to say good morning to everyone and to let you all know that from now on, I'll be posting blog entries (including the Open Threads) on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays.

Have a great weekend!!

Open Thread 05/29

Tue, 29 May 2007 13:20:27 GMT

Good Tuesday Morning to you!

Open Thread - 05/22

Tue, 22 May 2007 12:29:43 GMT

Happy Tuesday!

Bowling for Wichita...

Tue, 22 May 2007 12:19:26 GMT

There has to be something else behind the sudden cancellation to the bowling tournament, right? Has to be...SURELY staffers at the city didn't just let a $100 million package "fall through the cracks" as the City Councils seems to want us to believe. How could anyone just let trivial matters get in the way of such a huge deal for the Wichita economy?

The City Council seems to be of the opinion that the city staff dropped the ball and looked like nothing short of a deer in headlights when this situation was "brought to their attention". Where was the oversight committee? Why were there no COUNCILMEMBERS in charge of seeing to these negotations? It seems to me that if you have $100 million riding on a yes or no answer, you get some ELECTED OFFICIALS off their butts and into the hot seat to make darn sure we get that YES.

There are people and organizations around town that are trying SO hard to rev up Wichita's economy, to attract attention, to bring new business, industry, and people to Wichita...turn up the excitement...and we have these bumbleheads in office throwing away hundreds of millions of dollars because they were too thickheaded to say "yes we can, Mr. Bowling President Guy" and then make it happen.

Good Job, Wichita City Council. Good Job, Mayor Brewer, welcome to the inferno.

~Dubya

Open Thread

Thu, 17 May 2007 14:28:25 GMT

Tell us what you think!

Open Thread

Tue, 15 May 2007 13:23:45 GMT

It's been several days since a new Open Thread has been posted...I apologize, I've been out of town! I hope everyone is well and happy!

Road Rage

Tue, 15 May 2007 13:15:42 GMT

I was actually a little bit upset on the way into work this morning. While the roads were still a little bit wet, there was no rain and certainly no reason to be OVERLY cautious. Yet more than a fair share of people seemed to think their automobiles were going to spin uncontrollably off the road if they made it over 30 MPH on the main roads, including the highway.

There was not an over abundance of traffic, no torrential rains, just a few (seemingly) paranoid drivers slowing up the rest of us trying to get to work on time.

Is there any reason why slow drivers, in the fast lane mind you, just INSIST on staying even with the car in the slow lane? Miles of open space in front of them, dozens of cars packed in behind them...yet this individual, probably completely oblivious to the havoc he/she is wreaking behind her, decides it would be prudent to just stay neck and neck with the other car going 40 in a 60. Strange phenomenon, no?

Well, you'll be happy to know that Wichita is NOT on the top 10 list for Road Rage in the country. In fact, we're not even ON the list. However, this year, Miami topped the list for a second year in a row for the WORST drivers with the worst habits and rudest nature in all of the US.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,272383,00.html

So...the next time you're driving behind that slow, Kansas-style driver just think to yourself "At least I'm not in Miami!"

~Dubya

Open Thread

Wed, 09 May 2007 13:40:10 GMT

...can't stop the rain.....