Loved it: Charlie Wilson's War

The real Charlie Wilson

Saw "Charlie Wilson's War" last night with a couple of friends...

It was great!! Philip Seymore Hoffman is the most awesome actor ever. Jim doesn't really care for Tom Hanks, but I think he likes him a lot more after seeing the movie. I've always like Tom Hanks, PS...

...but the movie makes you wonder if things would have been different had the US helped stabilize Afghanistan after pushing out the Russians.

Goodbye 2007

My 10 great memories of 2007--this year was a year of firsts, lasts and onlys...good times, though, for sure:


10. Gained 10 pounds. Not that that's good, but it was fun gaining it. Talk to me again in 2008 when I'm at the gym.

9. Moved into a house in the student ghetto. I get a kick out of watching my neighboring flag girls from Missouri State practice in the street.

8. Dyed my hair back to its natural color. It was a traumatic adjustment to get rid of my blonde roots.

7. Got nominated for an Emmy. We lost, but I got excited over it for a minute. Probably won't get nominated again... or excited for that matter. The event was pretty lackluster as the host sang an opening number and forgot the words, much like a mocumentary.

6. Hosted several Grey's Anatomy watch parties with my former roommate and good friend Megahn. Those were pretty sweet...though I miss the bierocks.

5. Briefly became a college instructor. It was pretty exciting until I realized that most of the students didn't want to be in my nightly-summer-introduction to journalism-class. Still, it was a good experience.

4. Ate sushi off a naked lady and then puked it up an hour later with my BFF Lucy. And then puked up some more the next morning in the car on the way to McDonald's. That was a really great way to say goodbye.

3. Got a new job. For the most part, it's been awesome...

2. Spending time with my family--Mom is much healthier, losing around 60 pounds... Dad is back to work after undergoing brain surgery from a quarter-sized tumor.

1. Got engaged to the fart monster...planning the wedding though is not as exciting. Destination weddings are not as easy as people might think...

Local Chocolate Maker is Smooth on iVillage

Former defense attorney Shawn Askinosie hits the iVillage scene recently to talk with former Apprentice winner Bill Rancic (who's also married to that girl on E! News...Giuliana DePandi)

Some Lovin' from My Oven

This year I've decided to bake bread for the holidays...it's been an interesting experience since I usually do not like to bake. I had this grand plan to send out bread to all the people I know...but I got lazy. And tired. So, I made some bread for my co-workers instead. Feel free to look at the bread and feel like I made it for you!

But to go along with my JUST TRY IT! recipes, here's how you can make a wonderful loaf of banana or pumpkin bread for yourself.

PUMPKIN:
3 1/4 cup flour

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon nutmeg

2 cup packed pumpkin (1 can)

1 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 t salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 cup sugar

2/3 water

4 eggs

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes, depending on the size of your loaves. I do mini-loaves, so it doesn't take that long. Also, make sure to grease your pans... I use PAM instead of butter. Add walnuts to your liking...I do about a handful.

BANANA:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

Same instructions as above.

**If you freeze the bread, I wrapped it in a paper towel to absorb any moisture. Then one layer of saran wrap, then one layer of heavy duty foil...then put it in a freezer bag.**

Pleasant Hill Grad Dies

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A soldier raised in Missouri has died in Baghdad of injuries that weren't sustained in combat. The death of 31-year-old Army Specialist Randy Pickering is under investigation. His brother, Chris Pickering, says the family expects to get the autopsy results soon. The Michigan man says the family is skeptical of initial reports from the military that the death might have been a suicide. Randy Pickering grew up in Pleasant Hill in the Kansas City area and later lived with his grandparents for several years in Liberty. Chris Pickering says his brother didn't graduate from high school but earned his equivalency certificate and had a college degree in computer programming. He lived in Missouri until his mid20s, when he moved to Minnesota with his father and other family members. (Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) AP-NY-12-14-07 0811EST

Freddy got Fingered...or Frozen...or F$#@!@!

Freddy, the majestical white deer

From the Lake Sun Leader:


CAMDEN COUNTY - Residents are calling foul against the possibility that a hunter shot an albino deer that was known to roam throughout the woods near the Camden and Morgan counties border. Lovingly named Freddy by those in the neighborhood, his snow-white fur had become a welcome sight. Residents had hoped hunters also would appreciate the rare sight of Freddy and let him be, rather than kill him.
At the start of firearms season, many weighed the consequences of a public campaign to protect the button buck from hunters or the possibility the attention would cause more hunters to head their way.In the end, it didn't make a difference, said resident Dawn Merrill.Rumors have been circulating through the neighborhood that Freddy was killed.
It's such a shame. I've never seen him and now I won't ever be able to, Merrill said. We used to slow the car down every day to and from work just so we could maybe catch sight of him and say we saw him. He (the hunter) took that away from us.Merrill said the neighborhood used to talk only of Freddy sightings; who and where he was last sighted. Now that talk has switched to who killed him and when.Merrill said the neighborhood has a good idea.
They have a business here, a vested interest in the neighborhood, but this shows that they just don't care, she said.She said after the last article published, she hoped hunters would have realized how important the deer was to the neighbors and how much everybody enjoyed seeing him.Albinism is a recessive trait found in everything from mammals and birds to reptiles, fish and even plants.
The complete absence of color, noted particularly by the white hooves and the red or pink eyes, causes the animal to stand out against its surroundings and makes concealment hard.Camden County conservation agent Sean Ernst said Freddy had a strike against him from the start.A deer's major defenses is blending in, with white fur he was easily spotted by predators such as coyotes and hunters, Ernst said.
He was able to confirm he's heard the same rumor, that Freddy was tagged.Merrill said Freddy's uniqueness wasn't a disability, but beautiful.Animals turn away from another animal with abnormal characteristics, she said. Freddy was seen and photographed with his own mother and other deer, proving he was accepted by his population.
Because albinism is a recessive trait, both parents must carry the gene before it can occur in their offspring. Even then, there's only a one-in-four chance they will produce an albino fawn. Based on hunter reports, about one deer in 30,000 in Missouri is albino, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation Web site.There are at least seven states that make it illegal to hunt albino deer. Missouri is not one of them.

Contact this reporter at
deannaw@lakesunleader.com

First Person Plural: My adoption thoughts from 2000

In 2000, the National Asian American Telecommunications Association and PBS paired up to tell the personal stories of adoptees.

It was centered around a documentary called "First Person Plural". The documentary was about a Korean adoptee, Deann Borshay, and her journey back to her birth country. She came over in the 60s and had thought her birth mother was dead--that was not the case. In the end, she brought her birth family and adoptive family together.



For whatever reason, I remember being wishy-washy about this documentary. I remember feeling like it left a negative impression about adoption. Maybe that was because I had a different experience...or maybe I have a bad memory.


Anyway, the most interesting thing I found was my First Person Plural on PBS. The funny thing is that I wrote it while I was in college...there are some spelling mistakes...and at first, I was a little embarassed to share. But, then I realized that it was how I felt during one time in my life, so I thought I would share for any adoptee...this would've been right after my second trip to Korea. It was clearly an email I had written because I ask questions at the end of mine and no one responded...did PBS even read my FPP?

A Once in a Lifetime Storm, huh?

Courtesy KSPR.com

Whoever said January's ice storm was a once-in-a-lifetime storm deserves to get punched in the kidneys...because I believe that person jinxed it for us.

If I lose power and have to sleep at the station again, I'm going to freak out. Last year I was out for nearly two weeks. Two weeks of sleeping in strange places, next to even stranger people. If I have to hear one more co-worker accidentally fart in his sleep, it might kill me.

On a more serious note, people have been injured in this weather, so I hope everyone stays safe.

The Dress

So, today, I made an unexpected purchase. I haven't even been thinking about getting my wedding dress yet because frankly, I wanted to figure out everything else first. Like the church, the reception, the accomodations, the colors...oh yea, and I wanted to hit the gym at least twice.

Anyway, I got a sale email from Ella Weiss, the boutique in downtown Springfield...so I went to check it out.

I hadn't planned on staying long because I was going to work at 2pm. It was 1pm when I arrived. Long story short, I went in, tried on a few dresses and came out with a winner (55 minutes later.)

My friend Larissa will appreciate this--Stephanie, the owner, said that Larissa was so low-maintenance when she came in. Apparently, she picked out her dress and that was that. Today, Stephanie said I gave Larissa a run for her money!

My friend Laurie told me not to go shopping alone, to have my friends and my mom go and take pictures...to look around...but I guess I just wasn't feeling it today. One thing to scratch off my list.

Good times...and by the way, the above is not my dress. Jim won't see it until Sept. 2008...but for anyone else, the girls at EW said I could come by and visit it anytime...

To and From

Brandon Goodwin is a local guy who makes great personal wedding videos and movies!

He has a Christmas movie showing at the Moxie on December 16th, 17th, and 18th...

Here's the synopsis and trailer! Check it out and support our local artists~

Before moving to Antarctical to study Astrophysics at the South Pole, Harry (Mystery Jeff Houghton) returns home for the holidays to stay with this eccentric grandfather (Robert E. Smith) who believes he is Santa Clause. Harry develops a crush on his family physician (Sarah Jenkins) and finds himself in a feud with his grandfather's girlfriend's grandson (Jeff Jenkins). This week proves to be filled with unrequited love, childish rivalries, and misguided holiday adventure. Written and directed by local filmmakers Nate Black and Brandon Goodwin.

BCS Lovin' for the Jayhawks

As many of you know by now, MU lost to Oklahoma...
Sunday, the Tigers learned that their loss to Oklahoma was a bit more costly than they thought.

The Tigers will not receive a BCS bid and will instead face the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Cotton Bowl on January 1st in Dallas, Texas.

Hmmm....

So, who took the BCS bid away from the tigers?

Perhaps, it was:

ROCKCHALK JAYHAWK!!

KU will play Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl at Miami on January 3rd. Should be a good match up: Jayhawks finished the year at 11-1; Virginia Tech finished 11-2.

**NOTE** For the record, I rooted on the Tigers Saturday, but I love me some Jayhawks...I don't get all crazy about them like a lot of my friends, but I still have school pride, duh. Now, if Dustin would stop leaving me dirty MU messages on my desk at work, things would be just fine.

Will Ferrell's New Movie Trailer: Semi-Pro

KU played like crap

Boo.

OUCH!

I'm wearing 3 bandaids on my arms because I had to get three shots today. Three!! And I'm taking the typhoid vaccine orally...which also isn't that fun either. The side effects are awesome.

YOU ARE A MANDATED REPORTER

Even though there has been no evidence that Rowan Ford endured abuse, now is as good a time as any to remind people that they are mandated reporters.

We know that teachers, doctors, daycare workers, etc. are mandated reporters. Duh. But, when I went to the Department of Social Services in Jefferson City for a child abuse case a couple of years ago, workers there wanted to emphasize that ANYONE WHO HAS A CHILD IN THEIR PRESENCE is a mandated reporter.

That means if you are driving a minivan full of children, and you notice something odd, you're supposed to report it. Babysitters, carpoolers, room mothers are ALL mandated reporters. The same goes for Sunday school teachers.

Now, I suppose that's really hard to enforce, but it's probably DSS's way of covering themselves and driving the point home. Nonetheless, I think it could be an extra nudge someone might need to "get involved".

KSPR found out there's a decent chance Rowan Ford has a file at the Department of Social Services. Her school confirmed someone from there had hotlined her. I'm very surprised that no one else has reported this yet because (honestly) there are enough signs that might lead one to ask questions concerning abuse. Notice I didn't say there were signs of abuse, though. Anyway, I made the request, and hopefully we'll hear something before 3 days...I'll keep you posted.

But remember, get involved. Don't be afraid to get in someone's business. When it comes to kids, it only hurts when people don't.

Child Abuse and Neglect Hotlines:
The toll-free number is 1-800-392-3738. (ONLY WORKS IF CALLING FROM MISSOURI)
Persons calling from outside Missouri should dial 573-751-3448.
Text telephone number: 1-800-669-8689.

Update on Former Springfield Anchor

From NewsBlues and Collective Talent: Rachel Aram, a morning reporter at CBS-owned WFOR-4, was injured in a car accident in a station vehicle yesterday and had to be cut free by rescuers. Aram, who is pregnant, was in a Ford Explorer with photographer Brian Shannahan when they were sideswiped by another car on Sunrise Blvd in Fort Lauderdale. The WFOR vehicle then hit a cement pole. Aram was briefly trapped in the passenger side, and rescuers used the jaws of life to extricate her. Both were taken to Broward General Medical Center. Shannahan had minor injuries and was released. Aram underwent surgery on her ankle, was kept in ICU overnight, and has now moved to a private room. Her unborn baby was uninjured. The WFOR website made no mention of the crash or injuries. Ironically, Aram is scheduled to leave the station at the end of the November book and move to San Francisco, home to her fiance.

(Rachel used to work at KOLR/FOX. I ran into her just a few times out in the field, but I thought I'd post it if anyone was interested.)

Rowan Ford is Dead, Charges are Filed

Rowan Ford, dead at 9 years old

Please keep Rowan Ford's family in your thoughts and prayers.

As many people in the Ozarks already know, she was a 9-year-old girl who was raped and murdered by her stepfather and his friend last Saturday.

This is the most horrible crime against a child I can imagine.

It terrifies me to think that there are people out there who could carry out such a brutal act.

Even though it's nothing compared to those who knew and loved Rowan,

I have to say that it's pretty disturbing to cover...

I did not have to go out to any of the crime scenes, but it is pretty difficult and disturbing to read the things that allegedly happened to her...

It has been weighing heavily on my mind.

At the same time, it's exhausting.

We've all been working endless hours trying to get the latest information on the case, and work through our station's challenges. Believe it or not, KSPR was the first to go online with the arrest Friday night and we cut in on air earlier than anyone else. We were also the first to put the charges online... I know this because I did it from home Saturday morning, and I looked... (Thanks to Randy at The Turner Report for appearing to notice...I couldn't upload the PC statement, so I typed it out.)

However, being a new station has its challenges of growing an audience, and I understand that people have their own viewing habits.

Plus, I can truly say that there was some outstanding coverage by several media outlets.

Anyway, that's not the point.

I'm just saying this because it's horrible to cover, and at the same time we have a job to do that requires us to de-sensitize ourselves and work to be as fast and indepth as possible.

My personal thought is that news organizations should be required to bring in counselors for their staff when things like this happen. Law enforcement agencies do it for their officers because they see so much. Journalists are in many ways in the thick of it, too.

Anway, please do not forget Rowan.

She trusted someone, and he violated it in the worst way.

Her story cannot be something that's covered one week and forgotten the next.

And remember these men:

Christopher Collings (DOB: 02-04-1975)

David Spears (DOB: 11-04-1982)

Remember that they admitted to the crimes...

If they are telling the truth, remember these men in hopes that Rowan and her family will get justice. Right now they face first degree murder charges, forcible rape, and first degree statutory rape charges.

Authorities are also looking for other people of interest--basically David's friends.

Rowan's funeral will be on Wednesday in Neosho.

No time to blog!

God, are the days getting shorter?

If you really want a good read, you should check out some of the blogs from my coworkers. I just realized we are like the blogger station. Watch out interweb!!

First of all, there's Ron Davis and his Chatter blog. Need I say more? Ron is a pioneer in so many ways, and he always manages to find the most obscure facts about things. Plus, it doesn't hurt that he makes me laugh.

Next, there's Doc Larry. Larry will laugh at me when I say this, but it actually took me a couple of weeks to figure out who he was. I mean, I had read his blog, but I didn't know it was him...and here he was, the 1o pm producer. Ha! Good stuff...

Then there's Emily Rittman...she is a reporter and a person, too! That's the premise of her blog...she's so funny, and I really enjoy sitting by her. Most days she's chasing down criminals in the Ozarks, and I think you'll really see great things from her!

OMG! "It's Sweeps Week!"

If you've seen the movie Bruce Almighty, then you've heard "sweeps week" before!!! Of course, it's really like a month, and we won't be sending people to Niagara Falls...

But, it is the beginning of the rating period. November is a big month...I am working on sweeps stories, too, and hopefully, they won't go something like this:

Here are some sweeps-type news slugs--
"Teen Prostitutes"
"Dirty Doctors"
"Prison Sex"

And, hey, you've probably heard these lines before--
"It's 10 o'clock, do you know where your kids are?"
"Did you know your cereal can kill you?
"A KXYZ exclusive investigation tonight, take a look at this "shocking" video"

But here's something out of the box...look at how KCTV 5 in Kansas City is promoting its sweeps story...http://thedoctorisready.com/ (I really like it...)

So, here's your challenge...come up with more exciting sweeps headlines or story slugs...

A Naked Lady and Sushi

My friend Leah took this picture!

I just got back from a heck of a trip--from SGF to KC to Wichita to STL to SGF. Today was really the first day I had a breather...

But let me tell you what I did the other night!! I ate sushi off a naked lady.

What, you ask?

Jim semed very interested when I told him this.

I went to this place called Nara (in Kansas City) with Lucy since it was her last weekend before moving to D.C. Apparently, it was the restaurant's one year anniversary, and they were celebrating. The place kind of reminded me of Kai in downtown, only with a bigger bar feel.

Anyway, I was seated when I turned around and saw a boob. It was a lady getting undressed to lay on a table. She had a robe on, but it just popped out. Then this guy put some banana leaves all over her to cover her up...

Long story short, I ate the sushi. What can I say? It was there...but does anyone else see this as kind of weird? I mean, the last thing I want to do is go to a place to eat raw fish and see a naked boob. Brings a whole new outlook to ordering tuna. Yes, I said it.

Another Livin' 'Neath the Law with Jack McBrayer!!

Another webisode...I love this guy!

Another Hanguk Shikdong!!!

Springfield has another Korean Restaurant...I am so excited!! Unfortunately, I can't remember the name..."Golden - something"...it's sort of on the corner of Fort and Sunshine.

Another unfortunate thing...the location. Honestly, it's a little skanky on the outside...but you should never judge a book by its cover, right? Forget that it's right by an adult shop. Whatever.

I dragged Jim to it, and he had some reservations about it's outward appearance...however, when you walk inside, it's clean and spacious...and most importantly, the food is good.

We had bulgoki and japchae...I always get popular Korean dishes to gauge how good it is. I was very pleased. I will definitely go back. The prices were more than reasonable...and I want to go back for lunch--they have great specials, and they also have a couple of Chinese dishes for those less interested in eating Korean food. (Cashew chicken and rice $3.99)

And another good sign, there were quite a few customers inside...and Korean ones at that. That sounds silly, but my thoughts are always this: if you go to a Korean restaurant and find Korean people eating the food, it's usually worthy. Yes, that was a deep thought.

My Dash

I just bought a new phone and have no idea how to use it. I feel much like my mother in this way, since I had to have a one-on-one with her about how to text people...and she still won't do it.

But anyway, this is the T-Mobile Dash. It is very cool, and it is Windows based. When I figure it out, I bet it will be very awesome. The saleswoman told me that I could essentially write my stories on a word document with my phone and then email it back to myself by the time I get to the station. Kick ace. I doubt I ever need to do that, but if I did, it would be totally cool.

Here's my one complaint--why can't phones just be phones anymore? Am I that outdated? The only reason I bought a new phone was because my stupid Razr crapped out on me. I only wanted to spend like $50...and all the phones cost much more than that since my contract wasn't up...When did this start happening? BS.

NO NEWS

New Referral: Claire Addison My Prevo!

The Prevo family has now been able to send some pictures of their baby Claire! Claire was born on the 13th of July in Vietnam...she was a premature, but you can see she's grown quickly and is doing well!

The Prevo's hope to have Miss Claire home by Christmas!

Isn't she gorgeous?!

Stripper Terror!

OMG, this is so funny because it reminds me of my college days. My friend was turning 20 or 21, and we thought it would be funny to get her a stripper. It was a total surprise...there were about 30 of us all in this cramped apartment in Lawrence.

A cute, young cop stopped some of us in the parking lot, and one of my friends started saying stuff like, "I'm sorry we've been so bad officer!"...things like that...problem was that it ended up being a real cop who wanted someone to move their car. Embarassing...

But then, a fireman showed up at our door...and yes, his hose was out of control. Gross.

First of all, he only had one move. Secondly, he didn't wear any padding in the cre-otch, so everything was visible. Thirdly, he told us (while dancing) that he was a used sales car salesman during the day and stripping was his side job because it was SO fun.

It was horrible. I wish I could tell you more, but for the sake of decency, I won't. All I can say is the girls were running away from him and covering their faces. It was traumatic, and by the end of the hour, I wanted my money back.

Funny thing is, I'd do just about anything to have all my girlfriends together again, even though that was pretty tragic! This brings back memories!!

WHAT IS NEWS?!

Uh oh, it's late, and I've been thinking...call it a Jerry Maguire diatribe.

But I've been reading a lot of what people are writing in the local blogosphere about news, and I'm here to write something that's been weighing heavily on my mind.

We've all been subjected to some pretty bad news during our lifetime, but it doesn't have to always be that way.

One blogger questioned why my station did a story on speeding in neighborhoods when there were "fires/murders/suicides" going on. Huh?

First of all, in most cases fires/murders/suicides have little to do with the masses. That being said, there are always exceptions. But, for the most part, they have little to do with a wide audience. A jealous husband who murders his wife in Polk County has little to do with how you're going to live your life on the south side of Springfield. An abandoned warehouse fire in downtown Springfield has little to do with you if you live in Dallas County...and a suicide has little to do with you unless you know the person who died.

Again, all of these cases can be argued. And I promise you, no matter what, they will be covered by news organizations...STILL, is it really NEWS?

Let me tell you how most academics and journalists define news.

News can be summarized in 3 words: relevance, usefulness, and interest. The role of journalism is supposed to maintain civilization and democracy.

Within the broad standards of relevance, usefulness, and interest are more specific elements to determining what makes news. Most journalists will agree, they are as follows:

1. impact (how many people are affected)
2. conflict (recurring theme of storytelling, struggles between people, nations, or natural forces)
3. novelty (newsworthy just because it's bizarre--Springfield house sells on ebay for $1025)
4. prominence (names make news, period)
5. proximity (people concerned with what happens where they live)
6. timeliness (news is supposed to be new)

So, long story short: speeding in neighborhoods is more newsworthy than most fires/murders/suicides. Think about all the kids you've seen in the news who were hit and killed by speeding cars. Shouldn't someone try to protect our children?

And as far as the eBay story (that's the story of a Springfield house selling on eBay for $1025)...it's a novelty story. And, in the follow up, we did a story on the legalities of eBay--which also has a lot of impact with people in the Ozarks...more so than most fires/murders/suicides.

That being said, I'll have to cover a fire/murder/suicide in the future...and sooner than later.

By the way, if anyone has any suggestions on how to cure insomnia, that would be great.

A New Referral!!

The Prevo Family has announced some exciting news!

They just got their referral for Claire Addison My Prevo.
She was born July 13th in Vietnam.

She was premature and weighed about 4 1/2 pounds, but she is completely healthy.

Now, she weighs about 6 1/2 pounds and is great.

The Prevo's have officially accepted her referral today,

so hopefully Miss Claire will be in the Ozarks by Christmas!!

Yea!!

I'll try to have a picture on here soon...

if you want to send the couple warm wishes, you may do so here!

Livin' 'Neath the Law with Jack McBrayer

If you watch 30 Rock, you'll enjoy this clip from "Kenneth": Note, he may drop and F-Bomb.

Emmy Nominations are in!

The Emmy nominations were released on-line at 10pm Thursday night. Most of the nominations went to journalists working in St. Louis or Kansas City, but there were a few nods locally. They are as follows:

Newscast evenings, Markets 50+
Cara Connelly, Michelle Sherwood, Jeff Benscoter, Brian Vandenberg, KY3

General Assignment Within a 24-Hour Period
Dave Catanese, KY3
Ice Storm

Education/Schools
Angie Weidinger, KOLR
Tommie's Story

News Excellence
KY3

Congratulations and Good Luck!

A First in Korea: Domestic Adoptions Beat International

For the first time in Korean history, domestic adoptions have surpassed international adoptions.

Nearly 60 percent of all adoptions during the first half of this year were domestic, meaning that the children were placed in homes within Korea. The breakdown is 729 out of 1,223 Korean babies, to be exact. (That's far higher than the average 41 to 42 percent the country's seen in the last five years.)

Experts say the increase is largely attributed to a new law that encourages domestic adoptions over international. Korean society has been exposed to more adoption campaigns (the government has been making efforts to shake off the country's reputation as a "baby exporting' nation.) Korean couples living there are also getting tax incentives to adopt.

Overall, the Overseas Korean Foundation estimates nearly 157,145 children have been placed internationally during the last 50 years. Citizens of the U.S., France, Sweden, and Denmark have adopted the most Korean children.

Korean baseball: Can anyone explain this?!

glumbert.com - Hold your feet! Korean baseball gets strange

New Buzz About This Comedy Short Featuring Bill Murray!

The guys who put this together are Pete Karinen and Brian Sacca. They were just on ABC news for the comedy short...

It's about fact checkers who take their job way too seriously. Sort of reminded me of news for a brief second...

Your taxes don't always go to the state!

I don't know why this is amazing news, but I was pretty floored to see how many businesses keep the taxes you pay them.

For example, when you buy something at a business, you pay sales tax. The business collects that money. Some businesses don't pay the state.

Another example. You work for Company A. The Company withholds a certain amount of taxes that are supposed to go the state. Company A fails to pay the state.

The Department of Revenue says there are more than a thousand businesses doing this--I found more than 450 in Southwest Missouri who are delinquent...and we're not talking chump change. The DoR says these businesses don't just owe a buck here or there...the spokesperson says it's typically a lot of dough.

One restaurant in Springfield owner told me he owed the state $20,000 in taxes...he just got behind with the ice storm. He says that he'll be paid up by the end of the week.

Still, here's a basic breakdown of our sales tax: 3% goes to the general fund. 1% goes to education, the rest goes to things like conservation and highways.

How much has the state failed to collect from businesses, you ask? The DoR says $30 TO $50 million dollars!!

Anyway, I did the story last night on KSPR, but you can see who's not squared up with the state by clicking on the DoR's website youself. Kind of interesting stuff. I popped in one a business owner to ask him why he's on the list. He was a good sport, I'm surprised he didn't kick me out of his shop.

So, next time I go to a business, do I have to pay sales tax? I don't want them to pocket my money!

I Survived...my first night at KSPR!

It was great. Did you guys watch it?! I was very excited for us because it took a lot of work Sunday morning/afternoon/evening to get everything up and running...plus, being in a new newsroom altogether was pretty crazy.

We have a long way to go, but I was super excited that things went on smoothly, and we had a clean show. Now let's do it again tomorrow...

If you want to see my first story on KSPR. Click here. I think you might find it interesting...it's about why Springfield police can't solve certain crimes.

KSPR.com is now online!

We are now up and running!! Check us out. I think our website is the best in the market...it's very clean, but I'm partial. What do you think? http://www.kspr.com/

Be sure to watch us on Sunday night at 10pm!

Just Try It: Korean BBQ Beef (Awesome version)

I swear, everytime I make this, people go insane. I wish I could take credit for it, but a little, old Korean lady gave the recipe to me years ago.

It's basically the recipe for bulgogi (bull-go-gee)--a Korean favorite. I just call it Korean BBQ to avoid any kind of awkwardness.

1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin

4 T soy sauce

3 T sugar

5 T green onion or leek

1 T minced garlic

2 T sesame oil

2 T toasted, crushed sesame seed (optional)

2 T rice wine or cooking sherry (optional)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Slice the tenderloin in tiny shreds. (You can freeze it for a while and then it cuts better.) Mix thoroughly with all the ingredients listed above. Let marinate for a while (up to a day if you'd like, but sometimes I've done it for 30 minutes.)

Broil the beef mixture over a charcoal fire or pan fry quickly until browned.

**Also, you don't have to use beef tenderloin, but if you use a tougher meat, tenderize it with a mallet or something.** You can also go to the Korean market on Glenstone or Campbell and ask for "kalbi"--basically short ribs. That way you don't have to do any cutting.

4 days and counting...

I started my first day at "the new KSPR" today.

It was awesome!

I think a lot of people will like the changes that we're going to bring to the market. I'm not sure if I can talk about them yet, but we've set up some really cool agreements with other community leaders/magazines/professionals...

Anyway, the launch date is 9-9-07.

You'll see us on-air for the first time at 10pm.

Watch it or else!!

The station's got a lot of young, agressive reporters.

At the same time, we bring a lot of seasoned journalists to the table, too...starting with Joe and Christine...then behind the scenes with our news director, Brad Belote (formerly my executive producer at KY3) and Ron Davis...former print reporter, former editor of 417 magazine, the creator of the chatter blog, etc...

Anyway, aside from everything being new in my life, I went to the park during Labor Day.

It was, in a way, a first...

we rode our bikes to Aunt Martha's Pancake House,

ate,

and then took off for Nathaniel Greene Park.

When we got there, we played catch and fed the ducks.

We saw some weird looking ducks!

One tried to chase me, and it was scary.

Then, I almost killed Jim on the way back home because the bike ride no longer seemed like a good idea.

It was hot.

I had a headache.

It felt like we were 20 miles from home...and it was all uphill.

My head and my butt were really sore by the time we made it back to the Phelps Grove Park area, where we live...

and it wasn't pretty.

Larry Craig resigns, but his interview lives on

My Last Day at KY3...

...was sort of today...I mean, I work on Saturday morning, but today was my last day to really be in the KY3 newsroom.

Catch me on KSPR September 9th!

Mark your Calendars: Moon Festival!

Thuy Dam, So You Boutique and Bambu owner

My friend, Thuy Dam, owns So You Boutique, but she also owns the Vietnamese restaurant Bambu.

If you haven't eaten there yet, then you should...but definitely consider making a reservation there on September 25th. That's because Bambu is going to celebrate the Moon Festival!

Just like Thanksgiving and Christmas, The Lunar New Year and Moon Festival are the two major celebrations in Asian cultures. The Lunar New Year is more of a holiday for adults, and the Moon Festival is more for children, family reunions, and lovers.

When the full moon rises, families get together to watch the full moon, eat moon cakes, and sing moon poems. Children carry around beautiful lanterns and sing songs and poems. Lovers spend the romantic evening together tasting the delicious moon cake with some wine while watching the full moon. Even for a couple who can't be together, they can still enjoy the night by watching the moon at the same time so it seems that they are together at that hour.

With the full moon, the legends, and poems, you can't help think that this is really a perfect world. That is why the Asians are so fond of the Moon Festival.

The Moon Festival occurs every year on the 15th day of the lunar calendar. This year it falls on September 25th.

Bambu will be sharing this celebration by offering a lantern contest for the kids and displaying the Dragon Dance. Kids can make their lanterns or buy their lanterns at Bambu or local Asian Markets such as Binh-Tay. The winning lantern will receive $50.00. Kids eat free with a paying adult. For more information, call 881-9881.

New everything! New job, new ring...what's next?

Very soon, you'll only find this pic on the wayback machine.

Well, I thought I was supposed to keep this a secret for a few more days, but since the News-Leader scooped me on my own news, then I guess I should tell.

Yes, I am leaving KY3.

Effective September.

I am going over to KSPR--Springfield 33 will be dead by then.

KSPR will have a new and improved look...

...with new graphics, a new website, and new people. New is relative, of course...some oldies are returning as newbies--Joe (KOLR-10) and Christine Daues (once Christine Bielawski, former KY3 city beat reporter) will anchor the nightly news...Kyle Bosch and Natalie Nunn will do the mornings...I will be on the weekends...
as mentioned, again, in eh, the News-Leader.

I will effectively have a social life again! For 4 1/2 years I have woken up at 5 a.m every Saturday and 6 a.m. on every Sunday. It will be a nice change.

So, why leave KY3? Why not?

There were new opportunities awaiting, and I couldn't resist. I have been longing a different schedule and a change of pace for some time now. I knew that I wasn't leaving Springfield any time soon, and this was the best opportunity for change. I had to ask special permission to leave, and I am very grateful for the opportunity.

Being apart of something new is exciting! It will be challenging, but KSPR has no where to go but up. We've got an outstanding news team, plus ABC programming is looking pretty good...

I will miss the KY3 newsroom, but in the end, I'm still working for the same company.

Some bloggers have been cynical about this, but realistically, it will benefit the viewers. KY3 and KSPR are owned/operated by the same company, but right now, the stations will work in two separate newsrooms and under two different news directors.

Competition will be better for the market.

Oh yeah, and I got engaged last Sunday.
The pictures of the ring and my fiance are above.

Stay tuned.

Cara Connelly Makes Her Debut at WBNS

Cara has left Springfield and is already doing great stories in Columbus, Ohio. Her new station is WBNS, the CBS affiliate.

To see her first story on-air click here. It's a story about a Delaware County Commissioner's mobile phone usage.

Cara says things are going really well. It's a great place and the people are nice. I miss her!! And it's already different in the KY3 newsroom with out her.

At least 200 dead, missing in North Korean floods

A lamp stands on the flooded bank of the Taedong-gang River in Pyongyang Tuesday.

By most accounts, at least 200 people are dead or missing since downpours started August 7th.

Here's what the flooding has done, according to the country's official news agency:

• damaged or destroyed more than 30,000 homes for more than 63,000 families.
• ruined tens of thousands of acres of farmland
• destroyed at least 800 public buildings
• destroyed more than 540 bridges and sections of railways

Experts say the North Koreans may have made this flooding worse for themselves because of decades of deforestation. Apparently, the energy-starved residents have used every scrap of wood from the countryside to cook food or heat homes through the bitter winters, leaving large areas of the country vulnerable to flooding and landslides.

And if you remember, serious flooding helped trigger a famine in the mid 1990s. It's guessed that nearly two million North Koreans died from starvation. A decade later the country is still unable to feed all of its 23 million people and depends heavily on outside food aid.

At this time, the inter-Korean summit between South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il is still a-go for August 28 to 30th in Pyongyang.

American Defector in North Korea Pt. 1

This is an interesting story of a US man who defected to North Korea in the 1960s. Instead of being killed by the NKs, he wound up being a superstar of sorts. He is the subject of a new documentary. Check it out.

American Defector to North Korea Pt. 2

Part two. Shows more about Joe Dresnok's son and the isolated country.

JUST TRY IT: Cucumber Kimchi (Awesome version)

**SCROLL DOWN FOR THE RECIPE**

I was looking through my blog archives (yes, I said archives), and I noticed that kimchi got a lot of responses...

So here goes a cucumber kimchi recipe that I recently tried and enjoyed. It's really easy to make, and it's not the stuffed cucumber kind. I think you'll like it. Much more similar to the kind of cucumber kimchi you'll get if you eat at Soo's Korean Restaurant, which by the way, is one of my favorite places to eat in Springfield. Oh, and the exact recipe comes from a book called Flavors of Korea.

Oh yeah, and ode to Gregory Holman (if you ever watch his blog, he always puts recipes on-line followed by *awesome version*)

Ingredients:

2 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon vinegar

1 Tablespoon sugar

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Korean red pepper powder or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

2 medium seedless cucumbers, peeled an cut lengthwise into thin, 4-inch long slices

1 medium white onion, cut in half, then cut into thin slices

Instructions:

In a large jar, thoroughly mix together the salt, vinegar, sugar, and Korean red pepper powder. Add the cucumber and onion slices, then mix. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving.

Bam! Done! Eat it with some sticky rice, and you'll feel awesome. It's refreshing and healthy. Kimchi kicks!

H-O-T-T

Dude, Dave Snider's freakin' hot..in case you didn't know.

This is the a pic from the most recent GO Magazine.

Is he playing air guitar?! What does his wife, Mary Helen, think of that?!

Google me!

I am so excited. Who does't google themselves? If you google my name, it now surpasses my KY3 bio page. This is fairly recent...which seems like a pretty good thing...

Class is finished!!

I am finally finished teaching my summer course at Missouri State. It was truly a neat experience, though I'm not sure I'd do it again.

In case you didn't know, I taught Intro to Journalism this summer, and it was much tougher than I thought it would be. Four days a week...for more than an hour...

Some students were really into journalism, and I think that's refreshing...Others told me they took this class because it was a requirement to take "cooler classes". Sweet.

Most of my students wanted to be print journalists so I didn't have much of an opportunity teaching what I know best. However, I think they'll find that they'll have to deal with video at some point in their careers.

Anyway, I had a few great writers and a lot of potential great writers. It's inspiring to say the least.

Cara Connelly Says Goodbye

KSPR and KYTV

FCC OKs SCHURZ DUOPOLY IN SPRINGFIELD, MO

TVNEWSDAY, Jul. 31, 4:07 PM ET

Upon the consummation of a $20.6 million, three-way deal, Schurz will run the market's ABC and NBC affiliates in tandem. In approving the deal, the FCC dismissed opposition from market rivals.
By Harry A. Jessell

The FCC today approved a three-way deal that will, in effect, give Schurz Communications an ABC-NBC duopoly in Springfield, Mo. (DMA 76).

In greenlighting the deal, the agency rejected the opposition from two market rivals, Equity Broadcasting and Koplar Communications.

As it announced almost a year ago, Schurz, the owner of KYTV, the NBC affiliate in Springfield, is teaming with Bill Perkin, a local former broadcaster, to purchase KSPR, the market's ABC affiliate, from Piedmont Television for $20.6 million.

Under terms of the deal, Schurz would acquire the stations assets; Perkin, the license and intellectual properties. Through side deals with Perkin, Schurz would manage the station and operate it in tandem with KYTV. Although Perkin is putting up nearly half the money, Schurz is guaranteeing his financing and holds an option to buy him out.

Equity, owner of KWBM, Springfield’s MNT affiliate, and Koplar, which holds a permit to build a new station in the market, had urged the FCC to block the deal. They argued that Schurz, not Perkin, will control KSPR in violation of the FCC’s own small-market duopoly ban. Equity and Koplar also pointed out that the Shurz duopoly would actually be the second virtual duopoly in the market.

Nexstar already has a CBS-Fox duopoly, they said. It owns KSFX, the Fox affiliate, and operates KOLR, the CBS affiliate, through its “alter ego, Mission Broadcasting,” Equity said. In approving the deal, the FCC said Shurz-Perkin arrangement is consistent with previously approved deals.
“Based on the limitations that the various agreements ... put on [Schurz] with respect to the operations of KSPR and the requirements those agreements impose on Perkin and the incentives they create for his active involvement, we find that the allegations [that Schurz] will exercise de facto control over KSPR in violation of our multiple ownership rules are unfounded,” the FCC said.

Cheers

Cara Connelly's last day is fast approaching. Here's a picture of her going away party at Ophelia's a couple of days ago. More to come.

Here's your propaganda video of the day

A little piece of heaven to start your day...from the North Korean government.

KC is calling...

Kiplinger named Kansas City one of the best cities for mid-level professionals.

Criteria? The 3 Ts--technology, talent, and tolerance...this boils down to presence of high-tech workers and businesses, the talent level of the workforce and the tolerance for all types of people. A fourth factor is economic growth.

This is nice news for me because I live and work around a bunch of St. Louis natives. I grew up in the KC viewing area, went to school at KU, interned and worked in Kansas City, lived on the Plaza...KC is a great place, and since my boyfriend is from St. Louis, this poses a problem. :)

Cara Connelly's last day

Keep your eyes on the boob tube: KY3's Cara Connelly will say goodbye to the Ozarks on August 1st. Sad.

Carrie Beason

I saw Carrie Beason and Big Mo play last night...(I've heard her music before but never saw her play.) You should really check her out if you haven't yet! She's married to my former co-worker, Tony Beason. Ring a bell, eh? Plus, my current co-worker Rob West, KY3 photographer, just joined her band to play bass.

Anyway, if you like good music, find out when she's playing next.