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PROGRAMMING NOTE: James is off, so Meredith Rodriguez will be minding the blog today. Her email is mrodriguez@kcstar.com. Please email her with any story ideas, and please treat her well.
As always, please follow our standard rules: Please sign your comments, and please avoid profanity, as well as racially and sexually abusive language. And when you sign your comments, please use only one nickname. Thanks again, and have a great day!


Good morning, Meredith and fellow Costellos. And a tip of the hat to absent James.
The AJC headline: Shooting closes Waffle House. I'm shocked. I thought Waffle House shootings were so common that they stayed open.
Has romance gone to hell in a handbasket? In Paris, thousands flock to France's first Divorce Fair. Seminars included “Plastic surgery’s role in re-conquering your image” and “How to re-seduce your partner using the Gestalt method,” as well as “Meeting on the Web”.
Posted by: Keith G. in P.V. | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 06:05 AM
Good Morning Everyone! Took a vacation day, But I am stuck at home this morning waiting on the AT@T guy.
Keith, I cant believe they closed over a shooting. My daughter worked at the one in Blue Springs as a teen. One day she was handing a guy his change, and he fell out of the booth dead.
The customers just kept stepping over his body to get to an empty table.
They dont usually close for anything.
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 07:40 AM
Searching, I've always thought the food there could kill ya! LOL Thanks for a good story. Hope you enjoy your vacation day.
Posted by: Keith G. in P.V. | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 07:44 AM
I have always thought that since he had a heart attack, he was obviously just one waffle away from one.
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 07:55 AM
Maybe this would help Waffle House customers?
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 08:14 AM
Hi guys. I missed you.
Miss me ?
Posted by: The return of Patman | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 08:26 AM
Patman! dodo dodo dodo dodo [batman themesong].
Welcome back, Pat. I'll spare your feelings and not answer your question. ;-) That would be like asking if you missed me - I could take the answer, but why ask??????
Posted by: Keith G. in P.V. | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 08:29 AM
Yeah sure pal. I had a blast. Every time I leave town, its like leaving your problems behind too. The weather was awesome in Ohio.
I hear tell it was beautiful in KC as well.
How 'bout them Cheifs?
Posted by: The return of Patman | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 08:35 AM
who?
Hey pat, how was the convention? Any hookers there?
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 08:38 AM
Good Morning All!
What a great weekend. Went fishing, didn't catch anything except a 4" perch, but the kids had a blast!
The Wildcats beat the Hawks.
Chiefs showed something in the 4th 1/4. Why didn't they run the ball more?
Posted by: POJJ | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 08:41 AM
OK...now I feel bad.
Welcome back, Pat and Hellooooooo POJJ
Posted by: Keith G. in P.V. | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 08:47 AM
Nope, just a bunch of wierdos like me!
I got schnockered and played snooker with a fellow from UK Friday nite, ate sheep eyes (they wound up being grapes in cream cheese and pecans) on Thursday, drank Rolling Rocks and gin with some East coast collectors, and turned my canadian friends on to Gates bbq sauce.
It was a very diplomatic trip.
Posted by: The return of Patman | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 08:58 AM
Pat, so no tailhook tails?
Posted by: aqua | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 09:11 AM
speaking of tail,
good morning Meredith ;)
Posted by: aqua | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 09:18 AM
Sorry to let you down Aqua. There was a lot of perverts there, you would have fit right in.
Posted by: The return of Patman | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 09:24 AM
Chiefs just released LJ.
Posted by: aqua | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 09:52 AM
In honor of LJ's status . . . enjoy!
Posted by: Patty PV | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 10:04 AM
OK, I am back for a minute, the AT&T guy just left. I like the ones that wear overalls, that way there are not but crack moments possible.
He was a really nice guy though, Turns out that some interface on the outside box was broken.. and my brand new modem was faulty. He went ahead and replaced my jack, that way I wont have to worry about that in the near future. And it all cost me nothing.
So, I gave him a pint of my cinnamon applesauce.. and he was quite pleased with that. Dont think it is going to make it through lunch.
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Think this one is a better parting gift for LJ
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Nice, Patty! LOL
Posted by: spicolli | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Good morning to you all.
I was startled this morning on my commute to see a person lying along side the road on I-35 by a large truck. Another person was running back toward him along the shoulder. By the time it registered it was too late to pull off to help. I was in the middle lane anyway and no way to safely get over.
I called 911, but of course they said they were already on the way. I never know what to do in that situation, obviously there were hundreds of drivers who could call and probably did, but it doesn't seem like you should assume that.
I heard later it was a "medical emergency".
Posted by: rhonda | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Good morning Rhonda.
Wow! I hope the poor guy is okay. Alongside I-35 is no place to lay down.
Posted by: The return of Patman | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 10:43 AM
I am sure he didnt lay down by choice. Wish I was at work, I could find out what happened.
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 10:46 AM
There's not much more you could have done than call 911.
At least the folks zipping by on the highway noticed and did what they could.
Posted by: Patty PV | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 11:07 AM
In another case of "OOOPS, didn't mean to do THAT...sorry dude!"
N.Y. Officer Kills Man While 'Showing Off' Gun
Posted: Friday, November 6, 2009; Updated: November 6th, 2009 03:17 AM GMT-05:00
WILL DAVID, Gannett News Service; The (Westchester, N.Y.) Journal News
NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - Eastchester police Officer James Pileggi was arraigned Wednesday afternoon in the fatal off-duty shooting of a New Rochelle man Tuesday night, and his lawyer afterward called it a tragic accident.
"This is a terrible tragedy," lawyer Angelo MacDonald said outside New Rochelle City Court, "but unfortunately an accident."
He added, about the manslaughter charge against Pileggi, "This is an overcharge and may be unprovable."
Pileggi, 29, of Centre Avenue, New Rochelle, was charged with second-degree manslaughter, a felony, in the fatal shooting of Andre Everett, 27, of 17 Albert Place. Bail was set at $50,000.
Pileggi was suspended with pay Wednesday from the police department.
Pileggi and two acquaintances - 29- and 33-year-old men, both from New Rochelle - were parked in Everett's driveway in Pileggi's car around 8:46 p.m. Pileggi was in the passenger seat "showing off" his 9mm off-duty weapon that was equipped with a laser, New Rochelle Capt. Joseph Schaller said. Everett was standing outside the car.
Pileggi "recklessly discharged the weapon" striking Everett in the throat, Schaller said.
Everett was taken to Sound Shore Medical Center where he was declared dead at 9:40 p.m. Tuesday.
Eastchester Police Chief Timothy Bonci said Pileggi has been on the Eastchester force for two years. Before that, he spent four years as a Mount Vernon police officer.
In Eastchester, Pileggi's duty performance was good, Bonci said.
Posted by: Elrond of Rivendell | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 11:07 AM
Searching -
Depending on how old the wiring in your house is (for telephone) you might not see that much improvement even with the repaired network interface card and new modem. DSL service may go very fast over the telephone networks lines (which are now almost all fiber optic), however, once it passes the network interface to your house it is dependent on the carrying load/impedence of your wiring. So an older home with braided copper wiring will often do well to get faster than dial up speeds. But I wish you the best and fast download and upload speeds.
Posted by: Man in a Mission | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 11:36 AM
BTW - Since no one else has said it yet today - thank a veteran today for their service and sacrifice for this country.
Posted by: Man in a Mission | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 11:39 AM
Miam, the wiring is new, but apparently everything attached to it sucked. LOL
There wasnt any phone jack in this room when we decided to make it the office, so we just had it installed a couple of years ago.
Actually, I think it is working faster now.
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Come to think of it it's not that difficult to replace old phone lines. I've done it before. They're generally not nearly as hard to get to or fastened as securely as power lines are.
Posted by: Tom K | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 11:57 AM
NO, it didnt look hard, but did require going into the crawl space....sooooo not my job :)
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 12:05 PM
Humane Society: IHOP's eggs aren't 'cruelty free'. What they're probably really upset about is that in the end, the poor widdle eggs get cracked, broken open, scrambled and fried and then EATEN.
Posted by: Keith G. in P.V. | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 12:18 PM
At the National Zoo yesterday, a not-too-bright deer from neighboring Rock Creek Park jumped over a low wall into the lion's pit as a crowd watched. Zoo keepers rescued it, but it had to be euthanized due to serious belly wound.
Meanwhile, humans are forced to starve to death regardless of the pain and suffering at the end-stages of life.
That's because we don't want the poor little Bambis to suffer in pain. Humans? Who cares? They just deal with it.
Posted by: Keith G. in P.V. | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 12:32 PM
I see that idiot Katt Williams is in jail now for burglary. Good for him. I wasted an entire 20 minutes of my life one time watching his video and waiting for him to say something funny... Unless you think saying the N word a gazillion times a minute is hilarious, he's got nothing.
Posted by: Jellybean | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Keith G in P.V. -
Can we presume you support Youth in Asia as well as the Obama death panels?
(end sarcasm font)
Posted by: Man in a Mission | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 12:43 PM
Veteran's Day is Wednesday, Man, but it's ok to thank them whenever you want to.
Posted by: rhonda | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 12:47 PM
Humane Socity of the United States (a.k.a. HSUS)
PLEASE do not confuse these people with your local humane society.
HSUS is a bunch of whack-job terrorists.
That said, I think I'm going to IHOP for some scrambled eggs.
Posted by: Elrond of Rivendell | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 12:47 PM
MiaM, you've got me. My mom used to say, "Eat. Children in Europe are starving." I never figured out how my eating helped them.
Europe rebounded, leaving desperation in the far east, and I've supported Youth In Asia ever since.
Posted by: Keith G. in P.V. | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 01:00 PM
Re: Deer in the lion's den.
They were cheering for the deer? Heck, I'd have been cheering for the lions.
Don't know why folks wanted to keep their kids from seeing this. Would have been a perfect teaching moment to show them the realities of life in the wild.
Disney ain't reality folks.
Posted by: Elrond of Rivendell | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 01:33 PM
I always ate just to rub it in their face. I send them videos of Kobeyashi eating all those hot dogs. I also send them stories of American women who feel they are fat so they eat a bunch of food and puke it up. I wonder why some people hate Americans.
Posted by: D-man | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 01:35 PM
Isn't Veteran's day observed on Monday of the week it falls? I thought that was the case for all federal holidays except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
Posted by: Man in a Mission | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 02:10 PM
Banks are going to be closed on Wednesday.
Posted by: Jellybean | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 02:13 PM
About the eggs - I always spend the 500% extra for the free-range ones. Chickens are gross animals anyway (eating and pooping in the same place). The ones raised in those itty-bitty confined spaces are even grosser.
But, they're tasty critters none-the-less.
Soooo... Does wanting chickens to be raised free-range make me a liberal? I need to know so that I can figure out which AM radio station I should be listening to.
Posted by: Jellybean | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 02:17 PM
To figure out which AM radio station to listen to, hold your radio directly above your head and then heave it as hard as you can toward the ground... it's all crap.
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 02:39 PM
Veterans Day was on a Monday a couple of years ago but the outcry was so large that it was moved back to the original date.
Sorry I can not remember the year but I do remember being late for work the year that it was switched back.
Back to what I should be doing, later.
Posted by: AH | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 02:47 PM
It was observed on a Monday from 1971 to 1977.
AH, you're showing your age.
Posted by: rhonda | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 02:49 PM
I agree with you there, Searching.
I used to like the Conservative talk shows (Rush mostly)... Until the "Conservatives" turned into a bunch of insane radical turds - love the irony of the name though. NPR is just boring.
Why can't I find a good Blues radio station around here anyway? It's KC - supposed to be a Blues town. The Blues stations suck.
Posted by: Jellybean | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 02:55 PM
I thought we were a BBQ town? LOL
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 03:05 PM
BBQ radio? That might work.
Posted by: Jellybean | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 03:10 PM
Jellybean, check out the Fish Fry, Friday and Saturday nights on KCUR from 8 to Midnight. At midnight on Saturday night, KCUR broadcasts from the Mutual Musicians hall. And I think Lindsay Shannon still has a blues radio show on Sunday nights. And check out the KKFI schedule. They used to have several blues hours.
Posted by: Keith G. in P.V. | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 03:18 PM
Ok, now I am hungry. but,sadly, I went back to the dentist this afternoon, and now my jaw is sore again. Luckily, I have meatloaf that I prepared this morning. As long as I dont burn it.. it'll be soft enough to eat. LOL
Posted by: Searching | Monday, November 09, 2009 at 03:18 PM