98.9 The Rock » General

Vacation Here I come!

Moose — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:09:00 +0000

So it has been about seven months since my last little break from work and next week I begin my journey to parts unknown.

Yes, it is finally time to fire up the bike and go for a ride.

Nothing locked in yet as far as a destination but looks like we might make it out to Yellowstone and Glacier National Park.

Ok, that is all I have for today.

It is too close now to stay focused!!
Check back in about a week for all the pics!

Till then ride safe!
M

SAVE FERRIS!!!!

Ryan Westward — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:16:38 +0000

Ok, maybe not Ferris but how about Rockfest?!?! We are asking for your help and support to keep Rockfest at Liberty Memorial. I’m sure you’ve heard all the “controversy” about the grass from Rockfest ‘10, well here’s your chance to speak out and be heard! The Parks Department is asking for public input before they vote on letting us bring Rockfest back to the Memorial (where, quite frankly, it bleongs in my opinion!!). Tomorrow (July 8th) from 5:30p-7p they will be holding a town hall meeting in the World War I Museum at the base of Liberty Memorial. Please show your support by attending this meeting (and afterwards check out the museum itself if you haven’t already…it is bad ass!!!!)

If you can’t make the meeting for whatever reason, the Parks Department will accept your comments thru e-mail which you can link to right here on the 98/9 The Rock website.

Remember, this is not a “protest” style town hall or anything. In fact, I believe the Parks Department really does want to work with us in keeping a Kansas City tradition going but they’re looking to see what public opinion is. So, be respectful but make your voice heard!! It only takes a couple of minutes to save a tradition!!!

See you at Rockfest ‘11!
R

Why….

Moose — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 16:03:57 +0000

Is there such a thing as a summer cold?
Who invented this nasty little bug that has taken over my nose, ears, and chest.

And in the summer of all times!
We have been in the 90’s for weeks now and somehow I catch a cold!
And why this week!
There is a bunch of cool stuff going on this week!
Bike Night with Saving Abel Wednesday and Puddle of Mudd with Saliva on Thursday!

And Sunday being the 4th of July!

DAMN IT!
I am going to beat this bug!
That’s all I have for today.

Im going to go blow my nose for the millionth time now!
M

Random rant!

Moose — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:52:36 +0000

Well as I was looking online today I noticed that a few people were talking about starting a boycott on BP.

This peaked my interest last week after reading that Korn was going to boycot BP for all of their tour vehicles this summer.

Now I am all for expressing yourself.

If it is a boycott, not wearing fur, eating meat, or whatever.

But do you really think that a boycott of them is going to matter.

Sure it will touch the bottom line of the big company but you have to remember that it will really hurt the mom and pop that actually own the store.

Those are the people that live in our neighborhoods and go to our stores and spend money here locally!

I rarely go to BP other than for the higher octane for my bike but other than that I am all over the place. Depending on price.

So if you are thinking about joining the boycott feel free to to so but you are only hurting the local guy.

Maybe if you really want to make a difference you should write your lawmakers or something that will go to the heart of the matter.

For me it is business as usual.

I am sure that BP not only sees this as a costly event for the environment but also the bottom line of the business.

That is a lot of cash spilling into the water that they will never see the money from!

This is just my opinion.

Feel free to disagree and do what you want!
M

Ps. Sorry to get all political on you!

Next week I will be back to boob, bikes, and rock n roll!

Worthstock 2010!

Moose — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 17:57:21 +0000

Well that was a hell of a day.

I was hot, sweaty, and having a blast for 12 straight hours!

If you are not sure what I am talking about.

Saturday we took over Worth Harley Davidson North for the grand opening of the new store.

Worth had it all for us!
Beer, bikes, BBQ, and bands!
The bands were great!

Jackyl always kills it, Nigel was great, Federation did it up, LPP kicked 10 kinds of ass, and I was really pleased with Billy Ray!
And did I forget to mention The Flaunt Girls were there as well!?
It was a great time!

At one point I was walking around and saw Rick Worth just standing there with the look of “what the hell did I get myself into” and then he just started to smile!

As we were heading home in the line of bikes with the wind blowing I almost felt as if I was leaving Sturgis.

I would like to say thank you very much to Worth Harley Davidson North for throwing one hell of a party and I think we should do it again next year!

Till next time!

Ps. Dont forget that this weekend I have the JDRF Thunder Run up at Worth!
Be there about 10 for pre-reg.

All the cash we raise goes to fight juvenile diabetes!
Its a great ride for a great cause and we will have Shamens Harvest playing at the end for you!
Come on out!

Memorial Day!

Moose — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 16:00:10 +0000

I hope that you had a great weekend and had the chance to get some relaxation time in, maybe kick back at a BBQ and see some family.

But try not to forget that Memorial Day is a time to remember.

I dont normally re-post emails I get but this one really kind of touched me and I wanted to share it with you.

Most importantly I would like to say thank you to all the men and women who give us the opportunity to enjoy the cook outs and spend time with our friends and families.

Memorial Day is not just a long weekend it is a day of thanks!

MAY GOD BLESS THIS AIRLINE CAPTAIN:

He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, “We have an H.R. on this flight.” (H.R. stands for human remains.) “Are they military?” I asked.

‘Yes’, she said.
‘Is there an escort?’ I asked.
‘Yes, I already assigned him a seat’.
‘Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck. You can board him early,” I said..

A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier. He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us.

‘My soldier is on his way back to Virginia ,’ he said. He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words.

I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. ‘I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board’, she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home. The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia .

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane.. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do.. ‘I’m on it’, I said. I told her that I would get back to her.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher.. I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted. He said he understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text:

‘Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans.    Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.’

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, ‘You have no idea how much this will mean to them.’

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.

‘There is a team in place to meet the aircraft’, we were told. It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers.   He did that and the ramp controller said, ‘Take your time.’

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake.   I pushed the public address button and said, ‘Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life.   Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.’

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands.   Moments later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of ‘God Bless You’, I’m sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind   words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them, I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these   United States of AMERICA .

I know everyone who has served their country who reads this will have tears in their eyes, including me.

Prayer chain for our Military… Don’t break it!

Please send this on after a short prayer.. Prayer for our soldiers Don’t break it!

Prayer:
‘Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen..’

Prayer Request: When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops around the world.

Mudfest!

Moose — Mon, 24 May 2010 18:37:24 +0000

Well it has been just over a week since the big party and what a week it was.

With the media climbing all over us for “the destruction” of Liberty Memorial.

For the record it looks good out there.

Yes there was mud and some grass was smashed down but that happens every year.

And yes we do fix it every year!

I would say that since we have taken Rockfest back out to Liberty Memorial we have made the park a better place.

Yes it will cost a few bucks to re-seed but I cant imagine a better place to have Rockfest.

Rockfest has always been a show for you and the cash we can give to the Liberty Memorial is just a added bonus.

On a side note if you have never had a chance to go check out the museum there at the Memorial you really should.

I am a bit of a history nerd and would say it is put together really well.

It is one of the best I have been to!

So once again thank you very much for coming out to Rockfest, I hope you have made your full recovery, and are ready to do it again next year!

You crazy bastards never cease to amaze me

Ryan Westward — Wed, 19 May 2010 01:47:57 +0000

I got this e-mail from someone out at Rockfest. You silly bastards are always coming up with new ways to make Rockfest more and more fun every year!!! Check out this video…..

ROCKFEEEEEEEEEEST!!!!!

Ryan Westward — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:55:07 +0000

First of all, thank you so much to everyone who came out to Rockfest this year even though the weather didn’t quite want to cooperate (although I think you actually enjoyed that more!!!) A HUGE thanks as always to the folks at Liberty Memorial for opening their grounds and allowing us to have the show there. If you have never been to the museum at the base of the memorial, make it a point to go check it out…it is spectacular!!!

I’m sure you’ve heard the flack that Park and Recreation Commissioner Aggie Stackhaus has said about the conditions of the grounds following the event but, as promised, here is the statement released by Mayor Funkhouser:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 18, 2010

Statement from Mayor Funkhouser: Rockfest Should Rock On

Parks are for people, and on a rainy Saturday, Penn Valley Park was used by 55,000 Kansas City area residents and out-of-town visitors.

I think we should celebrate that kind of success, not condemn it. Keeping people out of our parks makes no sense to me.

My office has received a substantial number of calls and emails regarding Parks and Recreation Commissioner Aggie Stackhaus’ comments about last weekend’s Rockfest event. Most of the residents who have contacted us are disappointed in Commissioner Stackhaus’ comments about the participant’s manners, and her statement that the event should not return to Penn Valley Park.

Rockfest is a Kansas City spring institution. Like The Brookside Art Fair and the Zona Rosa Easter Parade, it is something that a significant segment of our residents look forward to every year. Community events give us a sense of place. They give us a reason to call Kansas City home.

I fully support Rockfest as one of those events. I support the young men and women who see Rockfest as an anchor for their community. Kansas City needs more fun and entertaining events.

Crowded parks, mixed with an all-day rain, are bound to cause serious landscaping issues no matter what the event. Those issues went even further due to the exuberance of the crowd. But outside of having some fun in the mud, the crowd is reported to have been very peaceful.

The bottom line is that grass will grow again. But residents driven away by overzealous comments may not return.

It is my understanding that AEG-Live has the responsibility to fix the issues caused last weekend, and that they already are moving in that direction and plan to have new seed or sod down soon. I will make sure that the city holds them to that commitment.

I, for one, hope that Rockfest continues to grace the Liberty Memorial and Penn Valley Park for years to come. And to show my support, I have joined the Facebook Petition to Keep Rockfest at Liberty Memorial.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=122660207754171&ref=mf

Mayor Funkhouser, we thank you for your support!!

We made it!

Moose — Mon, 17 May 2010 18:18:09 +0000

Well Saturday started out kind of sketchy.

It was raining fairly hard and the temp was not what I would consider warm to say the least.

But we did it!
Rockfest 2010 is now in the books and I had a blast.

I was cold, muddy, and soaked to the bone but I really think I had more fun at this one than any other Rockfest to date.

I love it all.

The mudslides and wrestling!

I did see at one point a guy in the pit accidentally drop his pants because of all the mud and then he himself hit the ground.

Everyone stopped for a second picked up the guy and helped him get his pants back up then got back to the mosh! (lets face it you really don’t want to slam into a guy with his pants down around his ankles)

And the bands were killer.

From Taddy Porter to Godsmack!
There were a few stand out moments for me.

Lizzy coming on stage with Seether to do “Broken” the drum solo during Godsmack, the look on the lead singers face of Taddy Porter as he came out to open the show and saw all of you there (priceless).

The list goes on and on but I will not bore you with a bunch of words.

You were there!
Thank you so much!
Lets do it again!
M