Derecho with tornado tearing across central Kansas tonight 5-25 to 5-26-10

Strange weather in Central Kansas tonight -- it seems what appears to be a derecho has been tearing across central Kansas with a tornado.

Severe Weather shifting north

Today a lot of the action was in the Dakotas and in Nebraska.

Thursday in Lawrence

Ken and I set out on a day trip to Lawrence. It was rainy but not as cool this day. I wanted to take Ken to Vagabond Bookman first, but the guy was closing up as we arrived late at 5. I had to do some errands in Kansas City. We spent the early evening walking around Massachusetts street. Ken actually did some shopping for a record at Love Garden and a bumper sticker at Third Planet. I decided to take pictures of Tima standing in doorways. We et ice cream at Sylas and Maddies, and we walked across the Kaw river which is way up, to the train station. After waiting a while, I got some stills of an east bound coal train. We walked back to Betsy, then headed to pick Suyen up at her work.

On Wednesday, there was yet another severe outbreak in Oklahoma...
Tornado Outbreak in Western Oklahoma

An Open Letter to Google

Someone sent me this open letter to Google
A letter to Google, please reconsider moving to Topeka Kansas.
Recently the city of Topeka decided to tear down a historic landmark. It is the old Center Building on the grounds of the old Topeka State hospital. It is a historic building that many communities in the United States would be proud to restore and display, even if the history there is tragic. Perhaps, in light of the history there, many enlightened municipalities would consider the place to be an excellent educational opportunity. Topeka, however, has decided to neglect the grounds to the point that the excuse is being made that it is easier to tear this historic beautiful structure down rather than save it. This is symbolic of Topeka on so many levels. The city could not find a way to save a historic structure which would add to the character and attractiveness of the area, but could find pleny of money to build a multi-million dollar sports facility on the same grounds which the Topeka State hospital sits. Google is thinking of putting an experimental fiber optic network in Topeka. However, for something like that to work effectively, an enlightened educated public is usually the best resource to test such an experimental network effectively. I do not think you will be successful in finding that resource in Topeka. Topeka has historically underfunded the arts in its own back yard. The zoo is failing. Downtown is an abandoned disaster. Despite many millions of dollars being sunk into downtown to redevelop it, much of that taxpayer money somehow finding its way into the pockets of the very people who have sat on the downtown properties and let them rot only to fall down, burn down or to be torn down, Topekas downtown exists only as a great example of abandonment. Were downtown considered to be Topeka's smile, a great many people would consider Topeka to have a serious case of meth mouth. A large percentage of Topeka's youth leave the city once they get an opportunity to, and quite often, those who stay do so not out of choice but out of hopelessness. For a town the size of Topeka, the crime statistics stand out as one of the most violent crime ridden per capita cities in the United States. However, the answers to the problem are more sports programs that affect maybe only 20 percent of the population, and religious intolerance that affects 100 percent of the population. Moving high technology to this area will not benefit Google, or the planet, because it will enable Topeka's bad habits at higher speed, and would enable Topeka to spread it's message of hopelessness all over the planet at higher kbs. Could you imagine what would come about as a result of higher speed internet? More monster truck pull videos? More religious intolerance? More Fred Phelps? Let us not forget dear old Fred and family. Some would say that this international shame that has grown out of Topeka like a tumor is not the fault of the city. However, if you look closely, you will find that the Phelps' are not only an accepted part of daily life in Topeka, but are actually encouraged and aided by many quarters of the community who actually share the Phelps' ideas. I think Google would best avoid Topeka until the city cleans up its act. By not investing in Topeka, Google would not only avoid a controversial bullet, but would also be sending a message to other communities across America, that if they want to see investment in their area, then they have to first start investing in themselves, and have to stop tearing down the very things that make their communities unique and live able.
Thank You

Wed 12 May 2010 Derecho KCMO

More video, this time from the dashcam of the derecho that hit Kansas City on Wednesday 12 May 2010

Jessie Small -- Twiganatomy