Legislature makes no progress; Brownback leaves state to tout tax cuts

$40 a plate in Chicago? Inquiring minds want to know the menu. White bread and lo-cal water?

May 21, 2013 at 6:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Lawrence attorney disbarred, accused of $200,000 ethics violation

No, Scott Stockwell was suspended for a year, not disbarred.

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt. -- Proverbs 17:28 and Maurice Switzer.

May 5, 2013 at 7:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Legislators question paying more for NBAF

To Steve Abrams: What if . . . . a Republican legislator from Arkansas City developed a brain? . . . Naw, that won't happen. It is more likely NBAF would have a pathogen release than an Republican legislator from Arkansas City would develop a brain.

April 25, 2013 at 8:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Senate considers bill that would have fewer convicts going to prison, and for shorter time

Brownback = soft on crime.

Who'd of thunk that?

March 26, 2013 at 6:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

House Speaker Merrick OK with 4 percent cut to higher education

Cutting education is contrary to the governor, who says he wants to "unleash the economic engine of Kansas." As the great philosopher, Jay Silverheels said, "White man talk with forked tongue."

March 22, 2013 at 9:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Letter: Tougher law

I understand kansasfaithful does not subscribe to enterprise liability, but why should KF or I have to pay for the ambulance that transports the unbelted passenger ejected from a crash vehicle? Why should KF and I have to pay for the fire truck and crew that have to wash down the remains of the unbelted passenger ejected from a crash vehicle. And finally, why should KF and I have to pay for the extraordinary medical care that tried to save the life of the unbelted passenger ejected? Do we get to pay because we believe in some kind of absolute individual freedom? I would take a little less freedom and shift the social costs to the person with a lack of good sense.

March 19, 2013 at 8:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Business-oriented political action committee gets big donations, endorses Chestnut, Farmer, Riordan in City Commission race

$7,700 seems pretty cheap for 3 commission seats.

I hope the trio of candidates remains bought. I just hate it when you buy a candidate and then s/he changes position. I like a bought candidate that remains bought.

Do I hear a higher bid?

March 19, 2013 at 8:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

ITEP report says race to no income tax based on flawed theory

Example: Erica Jong -- Before she wrote Fear of Flying, Jong had published a small book of poetry, which was her submission to the National Endowment for the Arts LIterature Fellowship. Jong proposed to write a novel. She got a $15k NEA grant for a year of writing Fear of Flying. The first year after publication of Fear of Flying, Jong paid $650,000 in federal taxes. That is a profit of $635,000 or a net ROI of 4,233%

So there is the one instance that is the exception to your broad misstatement.

March 3, 2013 at 9:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Editorial: Prayer, politics

I don't know how we could live in a dark spiritual area. All I have to do is fly by the airport, tune the radio to 122.8, and key the mike three times in 5 seconds. The runway lights will turn on high. Able to see them 5 miles away. And the KU football coach, Charlie Weis, brings in recruits and shows them the KU stadium late at night with the lights on, lets them step on the field, and look up the hill towards the Campanille, which always has a beacon of light. That is so much more light than many places.

What? Pepe DePue was talking about a different kind of light?

Never mind. . . .

February 19, 2013 at 9:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Senate committee recommends workers' comp bill backed by business, opposed by labor

1 state uses the 3rd edition, 8 states use the 4th edition, including Kansas, 13 states use the 5th and 14 states, the fed and longshoremen use the 6th. The rest of the states have a state specific guideline (8) or use no guidelines at all (6). The differences between the 4th and 6th are four-fold: (1) certain common injuries get slightly lower impairment rating (IR), while a limited number of types of injuries actually get a markedly higher IR, (2) certain injuries that cause significant radiculopathy get much higher IR; (3) doctors must "show their work"; and (4) a diagnosis-based impairments.

Use of the 6th edition will reduce payouts for common injuries. Certain specific injuries -- wrist ankylosis (loss of range of motion or stiffening of ankle), shoulder injuries, rotor cuff injuries and open fractures with reduction by operation, get a higher IR. MCL and ACL tears get treated no different.

Some docs may not like the "Show your work" requirement, having to demonstrate how they got to their conclusion of an IR. But that sword may cut both ways. If the company doc doesn't show his work, his opinion may be tossed out of any compromise, settlement or judgment.

The biggest difference is that IR must be based upon the diagnosis, not the symptoms or residual symptomology, or loss of use/range of motion/impairments. If the doctor gives a diagnosis leg pain rather than fracture of the femur, the IR will be markedly lower. A diagnosis of wrist injury is going to have lower IR than a diagnosis of loss of hand.

February 18, 2013 at 8:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )