In my daily scouring of The Star and The New York Times, I consistently come across highlights — and sometimes lowlights — that make me stop, re-read and note things to pass on to others.
In this case, that would be YOU, loyal readers.
So, here goes — first on the local front.
:: Hereford House arson
Can you believe we had such a slimy but juicy case right here in Kansas City? You’d think it would be something out of Chicago or Miami — one of Kansas City’s most famous restaurants being torched for insurance money?
Mark Morris, federal courts reporter, provided his usual, outstanding trial coverage. The most compelling testimony, to me, was Jennifer Sorrentino’s testimony that her former husband, Mark Sorrentino, came home early the morning of the fire and started “screaming from the top of his lungs” for her to come to the garage.
When she entered the garage, she said, she found her husband “beet red,” with his shirt off and reeking of gasoline.
Wow…Could there be any more dramatic account of what a nasty, nasty business arson is…even from the perp’s side?
Another trial highlight was testimony (which you might have missed because Morris didn’t write about until the verdict story), that the company providing security at the restaurant had planted a dummy video camera in one room and had placed the real, working camera in another. Even Rod Anderson, part owner of the restaurant and the most prominent of the three defendants, didn’t know about the set-up, and it ended up hurting him.
According to testimony, Anderson learned about the second camera in a conversation with the restaurant group’s chief financial officer, James Stanislav. When Stanislav was on the witness stand, a prosecutor asked him how Anderson reacted upon learning about the second camera. “He was somewhat surprised,” was Stanislav’s answer.
Surprised? I bet his eyes bulged and his stomach flipped.
***
Now, onto the national arena, which, of course, is awash in politics.
About once a week, dueling New York Times columnists David Brooks (moderate conservative) and Gail Collins (full-blown liberal) engage in an online give-and-take, which is consistently funny and insightful.
Recently, when they were predicting how they thought some of the key races might would out, they engaged in this exchange:
Brooks: “I think there will be one or two wild results. Like Akin winning in Missouri…”
Collins: “If Akin wins, I will personally set up a charitable foundation to help humiliated Missourians move to another state. There are a lot of jobs in North Dakota.”
I also got a kick out of this Collins commentary in both the printed and online editions:
“Romney is bringing half the Republican Party to Ohio to kick off the new ‘Romney-Ryan Real Recovery Road Rally.’ Everybody’s coming — Ann, the sons, Paul Ryan, Paul Ryan’s wife who we have yet to actually meet, Rudy Giuliani, a couple of Olympic medalists and pretty much every Republican elected official except He Who Must Not Be Named in New Jersey…Sudden plans for a road trip are usually the sign of a pressing need to escape reality.”
By now, my army of conservative readers is probably jumping up and down, thinking I’ve exposed myself as an unrelenting liberal. Well, hold it right there! (as s a prominent local blogger friend of mine would say).
Here are three withering (and funny) observations offered up by the entertaining and erudite George Will of The Washington Post.
:: “Obama’s oceanic self-esteem — no deficit there — may explain why he seems to smolder with resentment that he must actually ask for a second term.”
:: “Tis said two things not worth running after are a bus or an economic panacea, because another will come along soon. Obama’s panacea is to cure what he considers government’s unconscionable frugality.”
:: “It is remarkable…and evidence of voters’ dangerous frivolity regarding the vice presidency, that (Joe) Biden’s proximity to the presidency has not stirred more unease.”
Finally, a grab-bag column like this would hardly be complete without a reference to our beloved, bumbling Kansas City Chiefs.
This is not from print but from Soren Petro, host of “The Program” on radio station 810, WHB.
Last week, Petro was talking with Kansas City Star reporter Adam Teicher, who has covered the Chiefs for about 15 years. Petro put Teicher on the spot, asking him why Chiefs’ General Manager Scott Pioli shouldn’t be fired immediately. Teicher, whom you could almost envision squirming in his chair — it can be very difficult and self-defeating for beat writers to bash the people they work around every day — tried to rationalize why Pioli should not be fired, at least right now.
As recently as a couple of months ago, before the Chiefs showed their true colors, Teicher noted, most people probably would have predicted that the Chiefs were going to have a good season and that Piolo seemed, at that point, to be doing a good job. 
So why, Teicher suggested, should a guy who recently seemed to be doing so well be fired so quickly.
Without missing a beat, Petro fired back, “Half an hour before the battle, Custer thought he was going to kick ass, too.”
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
Jimmy C., I must have inspired you after lunch recently, to blog…OK, I am likely not the reason, but keep it going…some of us like you and the blog.
Larry
George Will is usually erudite, as you say, but I believe he used an adverb instead of an adjective in the following: “Obama’s panacea is to cure what he considers government’s unconscionably frugality.”
Mike, i think you are correct.
Oh, oh…That wasn’t George’s error; he’s too erudite to make that kind of mistake…I’m not. Good catch, Mike; I corrected it.
I’m certainly no fan of the talk jocks on local radio, but that was a good comeback by Soren Petro. I’ll give him credit for that. And yes, there are some smart folks with sharp eyes (like Mike and Larry) looking at JimmyC’s material on a regular basis.
Thanks for blogging again, Jim – love reading your insights!
Well, with all of The Star’s copy editors reading this while they’re unemployed…….
Yes, John…By the way, did you see in the comments the other day that Les Weatherford, The Star’s former copy chief, doesn’t even take the paper anymore?
What’s the world coming to?
And I know of another former Star man, who used to work under my father, who no longer takes the paper and won’t hesitate to tell you why.
Come on. Big village. Be quick. Bring Packs.
Custer’s last missive.
The right 53. Big O Line. They are quick. Bring money.
Scott Pioli, before Atlanta.
(No Sherman, that Pioli.)
Interesting stuff, of course, about Custer and his “last stand.”
The order that you cite, Chuck, was delivered to Capt. Frederick Benteen, whose troops were distance away from the battlefield.
In his book “Son of the Morning Star,” Evan S. Connell says this about Custer’s order and Benteen’s subsequent actions.
“Benteen has been criticized by some military analysts because he failed to obey [Custer’s] instructions. He received the note, he read it, he thought enough of it to tuck it in a pocket, but he did not get the ammunition packs and rush forward to Custer’s aid. Instead, as he approached the battleground after his scouting trip he saw Major Reno’s demoralized men attempting to organize a defensive position on the bluff and he chose to join them. This decision assured Custer’s death. It would seem, therefore, that Benteen must be condemned; yet if he had tried to carry out the order it is possible his three companies would have been hacked to pieces en route. Then Reno’s weakened command surely would have collapsed, and when General Terry arrived he would count every single man of the Seventh Cavalry dead.
Benteen explained to the 1879 Court of Inquiry why he did what he did, and his reasoning is equally clear from subsequent remarks. He thought it impossible to obey; to do so would have been suicide. “We were at their hearths and homes,” he said, referring to the Sioux, “their medicine was working well, and they were fighting for all the good God gives anyone to fight for.” ”
— Evan S. Connell in Son of the Morning Star, pg. 281 [2]
“Son of the Morning Star”, one of my very favorite books. Through the years I have recorecommended it many times. I just read The Last Stand” by Philbrick (His other books are worth a look too.). I don’t think it is quite as good, but there is some new info in there you might like.
Libby Custer’s biography was really good too imo.
I recall disticntly what you mention and, I think that Benteen was one of the most interesting characters in that story. Great book.
Myles Keogh, Gall, Tatanka Iyotanka, Rain in the Face etc, all of the personalities, the conflict and the outcome provide for me a tableau vivant of the 19th century American West.
Have you ever gone to Lawrence to see the stuffed “Comanche”?
P.S.
You can also go to Fort Leavenworth and see the home where Custer lived.
Seeing all this reminds me of the song Mr. Custer, by Larry Verne.
Great, great No. 1 hit from 1960 by Larry Verne…”Them bushes out there…they’re movin!”
Here you go….
Sorry Fitz, one more. The other day in Barnes & Noble, I saw a Coffee Table (?) book by Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dove, the best book ever…!!) with a lot of pictures I hadn’t seen before on Custer and the Last Stand.
Ok, I’m done.
:)
Funny song.
There is a book called Black Elk Speaks that gives an account of the Little Big Horn battle from the other side. Very interesting read.