Oh, So THIS Is Why!

Here's the headline ... "Karr's Family Offers Book, Movie Rights"

Feel free to read the article here.

And to think I was actually wondering why this guy was saying what he was saying. I'm still not sure I buy this story. And I certainly won't read the book or see the movie.

Willie Nelson Endorses Claire -- Who Else Is On The List?

Now that the Willie Nelson/John Fogerty have made their way through town, and reports of Claire McCaskill joining Willie on his tour bus are being broadcast throughout the blogosphere, it's time to sit back and wonder who else Willie might endorse in this years' political races.

While I'll grant you that Willie is an incredible song-writer, and sometimes even a good singer (hey, I'll take him over Bob Dylan any day!), what in the world does he, or Claire, think he's doing getting involved in high-profile political races?

While it's fairly obvious that the impeccable anti-war protesting hippies still have their ages-old agenda, it makes me wonder why Claire would be so stupid as to allow this to happen in conservative Missouri? You can chalk this up in the "What was she thinking" category.

Meanwhile, no comments yet on whether or not Willie intends to head to Salem, Missouri to endorse his cousin, Chief Wana Dubie, in his bid to become the next state representative there.

I mean ... they ARE related, aren't they?

No Comments on Anything?

Some of you may wonder why it is that you never (before today) noticed that any of the posts here had comments attached to them. Well, the REAL answer is, I didn't know how to post them until today! Sorry!

Meanwhile, there are just a few posts that didn't exactly make the cut -- including those that wanted to refer to me by someone's name that isn't mine (I'm not a Herb), and the other, specifically, was a particularly vulgar comment from some self-labeled "liberal Marine," who threatened to hunt me down and kill me if I didn't remove some posting from earlier this year.

Needless to say, while I didn't publish his post, you're not going to see me remove certain postings because I touched a nerve. If I did, perhaps you should go all the way back into the archives (now that they're fixed) and read the very first posting.

While you're doing that, I'm going to go back in the archives and try to figure out what on Earth this guy was babbling about.

7 Dogs Killed In Mobile Home Fire

Is anyone really surprised by this?

On the surface, it just seems amusing, although I can feel badly that these champion dogs were kept in this manner.

KCTV Channel 5 Has Interesting Report on Claire

Now, I can forgive those that took a puff or two in high school. Maybe even in college. But being investigated by the FBI while you're the prosecuting attorney for the second largest county in the state of Missouri?

Click here to view.

John Mark Karr -- Ingenius Way to Catch a Flight Home?

Does anyone really believe this whacko's claims that he was present when JonBenet Ramsey died? Or was this just a brilliant scheme to catch a flight back to the United States from the red-light district of Bangkok, Thailand?

His ex-wife (good Lord, this guy was actually MARRIED once???) claims that there is no way that he spent a single Christmas day away from her during the time they were married and living in Alabama.

A St. Louis Post Dispatch online survey indicates that only 7% of the people believe him, 62% don't believe him, and 31% don't know WHAT to believe.

Count me in with the majority on this one. I think this guy is just some sick twisted bastard that knew the Ramsey family and decided to go for his fifteen minutes of fame now.

Hey, maybe I'm wrong, but if he IS found guilty of killing her, I would think that he now has most of America convinced that he's insane.

Maybe he's just more of a genius than the rest of the world? Hmmmm ...

Musical Chairs In St. Charles Politics Next Year?

This November's elections bring all sorts of opportunities for candidates of which most voters are unaware.

This being the final term in the senate for Appopriations Chairman Chuck Gross, look for him to be appointed by newly-elected County Executive Steve Ehlmann next year, creating an opportunity for Gross to be heir-apparent to the county throne when Ehlmann leaves office.

This creates a snowball, unlike any we've seen in this area. It puts state Representatives Tom Dempsey and Carl Bearden on a crash course for votes to succeed Gross in the senate.

Dempsey, the House Majority Leader, and Bearden, the Speaker Pro-Tem, have similar successes in Jefferson City, but most that I hear gives Dempsey the nod -- primarily because Dempsey has spent his career getting to know people while Bearden has spent his career talking down to people.

This brings up the next obvious question -- what happens to Dempsey's seat? Could Mayor Patti York be in line to run for that, thus eliminating the idea that she will serve as the first full-time mayor of St. Charles? That's the rumor, but ...

I find it exceedingly difficult to imagine York giving up what could be an unprecedented (in today's standards, anyway) third term as mayor of St. Charles, especially at a salary that has been discussed, upwards of $100,000 or more, for a $30,000 part-time gig in Jefferson City.

So, seeing as the April elections will have been over with by the time there is a special election to fill Dempsey's seat, I would not look for York to be the candidate, unless she loses her own election -- but by then, the powers-that-be might see her as damaged goods and consider her incapable of winning the special election.

So, who's next that can fill the void? Perhaps Dan Nieland?

Sad Days Ahead In St. Peters - Will St. Charles Take Note?

With Mayor Shawn Brown in deep legal trouble, what is to happen to the progress that has been the staple in the City?

Probably no big change, frankly. The city is run by Bill Charnisky, City Administrator, anyway. In St. Peters, a fourth class city, this is the style of government that the citizens have chosen, and perhaps now, we know the reason why.

You see, in most cases, city administrators have degrees and training in running a governmental operation, and many of them move around every few years, always looking for (or being recruited to) greener pastures.

In the past 15 years, St. Peters has had the odd fortune of having just two city administrators, Charnisky and Bob Irvin, who saw the city through intense growth, but couldn't maintain a civil working relationship with then-mayor/tyrant Tom Brown.

Conversely, the city of St. Charles has been almost a proving ground for city administrators. If we go back as many years, there was Allan Williams, then Hank Sinda was around for a while, then Mike Miller, who was replaced by then-city counselor Lyndell Porterfield (who stepped back down to become city counselor again), and finally back to Williams again.

If there is anything to be said, it is that the longevity in St. Peters is a good thing, while all the turnover in St. Charles has been "noticed."

When I say it's been noticed, you have to put yourself in these peoples' positions. You're a city administrator in a small to medium-sized city in Anytown, USA, and you look in your trade magazines at who's looking for a new city administrator, and you come across St. Charles and St. Peters. Where would you go?

I have to at least hand it to St. Peters -- the board, as a complete unit, has its act together. Sure, there are a few nut-jobs on the board, but when they work together, they get a lot accomplished. Whether you agree with proposals such as Lakeside 370 or not, it's one hell of a project. (Stop by city hall some time and see the artist's rendition of it in the lobby!)

St. Charles has its moments, but it is filled with a city council of idiots. Instead of the "Council Chambers," I think they should change the sign over the door to "Center Ring."

Meanwhile, city voters have passed a charter change, which gives power over to the mayor in St. Charles, eliminating the need for a city administrator to run the day-to-day operations of the city. Frankly, I'm not so sure that's a great idea, mostly because, just like with St. Peters, you never know what you're going to get if you elect someone as mayor, but you at least can determine the background and experience of these professional city administrators. Last week, the city council rejected an override attempt to place that back on the ballot, so the voters' original position will stand.

Not that there aren't some well qualified individuals that can do it -- Senator Chuck Gross has a Masters in Public Administration -- but as it appears, Patti York will be running for re-election to be the first three-term mayor in probably forever, as commented upon earlier, it seems like Dan Nieland may challenge her for some reason, and the other side keeps suggesting that Councilman John Gieseke or Councilman Dottie Greer may run.

But who knows? Maybe voters will finally give Rory Riddler his dream.

Hopefully not!