Interesting

Dick LeBeau’s NFL Hall of Fame Speech

August 16, 2010 by Steve Kornspan

To save time I have only shared a brief portion of his speech if you get interested and want to read more the link is attached below.

Born September 9, 1937 Dick was recently inducted into the National Football league Hall of Fame. He spent 14 years in the NFL as a player for the Detroit Lions and at the age of 72 he is entering into his 36th year as a coach as the defensive coordinator for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Dick Lebeau

As far as my playing ability, I was known as the guy who was just going to come to work every day, I was going to play hard every day. Might not always play good every play, but I was going to play the next play as hard. I learned that from London, Ohio, a small town about two hours from where we’re standing. Honesty and hard work, that’s about all they value down there. It sure has stood me in good stead.

I’ll leave you with one thing. Life is for living, folks. Don’t let a number be anything other than a number. Don’t let somebody tell you that you’re too old to do this or too old to do that. Stay in life. Life is a gift. It’s a joy. Don’t drop out of it. Don’t let somebody else tell you and don’t let your mind tell you.

If I would have gotten out of my life’s work at 65 or 67, when they say is the age of retirement, here is what I would have missed, folks. I would have missed not one but two World Championship football teams that I got to be a part of. I got to be a part of a No. 1 defense that statistically had the lowest numbers in the last 35 or 40 years. I had my number retired from my high school. Had a building named after me in my hometown. I made the Detroit Lions all 75 year team. I was accepted into the Ohio State University Athletic Hall of Fame. Now tonight I guess when I sit down, get off this speaking, which I’m gonna do, I’ll be in the NFL Hall of Fame.

My mother always said, Onward and upward, age is just a number. God love y’all. Thank you.

Link to Full Text

Filed Under: Feature Story, Interesting, Misc

Waiting list for frail elderly home services ‘fairly likely’

August 7, 2010 by Steve Kornspan


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Waiting list for frail elderly home services ‘fairly likely’ KDoA secretary says his agency faces a budget gap so something’s got to give By Dave Ranney Thursday, August 5, 2010 TOPEKA — Kansas Department on Aging Secretary Martin Kennedy said Wednesday that it is “fairly likely” he will have to start a waiting list for Medicaid-funded in-home services for the frail elderly, something that hasn’t happened since 2002. “We’re looking at our options,” he said at meeting with advocates and program directors. Kennedy explained that earlier cuts in spending had fallen short – “by about $2 million” – of the amount needed to balance the department’s budget for the 2010 fiscal year, which ended June 30. The deficit, he said, was offset with some last-minute “cuts and some shifts in funding.” But in the current fiscal year, the shortfall is expected to be between $5 million and $6 million. He said the department’s budget wasn’t keeping pace with the demand for home and community based services. Without these services, he said, many frail seniors are likely to end up in nursing homes, significantly increasing the department’s costs. “That’s really a terrible option,” Kennedy said of the possible waiting list. “It forces us to cut expenditures in a program that saves us money.” Kennedy said he will ask for a midyear increase in spending authority but had no way to know if it would be approved by Gov. Mark Parkinson, his successor, or the 2011 Legislature. Parkinson is not seeking re-election. His replacement will take office in January. Though the Parkinson administration is assembling a proposed budget for fiscal 2012, the next governor will be free to accept or reject any or all of it. “Some tough decisions are going to be made,” Kennedy said, noting he’s already shelved plans for a $1.1 million expansion of telehealth services for frail seniors. Instead, that money will be used to help offset the agency’s budget gap. Faced with a similar deficit in 2002, KDoA enacted its first and, thus far, only waiting list for in-home services for the frail elderly. That waiting list remained in place for about two years. According to KDoA data, the waiting list coincided with a 337-person increase in the numbers of frail seniors moving to nursing homes. Currently, about 5,700 seniors receive Medicaid-funded, in-home services. Each month, about 146 begin receiving services and 105 leave the program. Dan Goodman, executive director at the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging, warned that a waiting list is sure to hurt vulnerable seniors. “Studies have shown that when both of us – HCBS and nursing facilities – care for someone who’s considered frail elderly, it’s usually for about three years,” Goodman said. “So for me the question comes down to two things: Quality of life and cost to the state. Now, we ought to be looking for win-win solutions. Going to a waiting list is lose-lose. It’s going to cost more and it’s not what people want.” Shannon Jones, executive director for the Statewide Independent Living Council of Kansas, urged Kennedy to propose taking advantage of federal health reform provisions meant to expand access to home and community based services. “Medicaid was passed 45 years ago,” Jones said, “and we all know that a lot of the rules and regulations that came with it are, in the world we live in today, antiquated. I mean, the fact that nursing services are an entitlement and home and community based services are optional is totally upside down.” Kennedy said he was all for expanding access to in-home services. Meeting the Needs of Older Kansans

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Filed Under: Interesting, Legislation

Email Outlining what the US government owes…

February 25, 2009 by Steve Kornspan

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The 2008 Financial Report of the United States Government is the only government document that calculates what the federal deficit and debt numbers would be if the government practiced, as most businesses do, accrual based accounting.

CLICK HERE – To See the shorter Citizen’s Guide, which is attached for your review and/or file if you wish to peruse it.

As we reflect upon the effects of our present economic situation and the need for economic stimulus from Washington DC, I think it’s important we keep a perspective on the financial position and operating results of our federal government, not only historically, but prospectively, as this document demonstrates.

Kevin P. Gilmore, Chairman of the Board
Olathe Chamber of Commerce
12541 S. Hagan Lane
Olathe, KS 66062

Filed Under: Interesting, Legislation

Warren Buffet’s View

February 24, 2009 by Steve Kornspan

There was a one hour interview on CNBC with Warren Buffet, the richest man in the world, who just donated $31 billion to charity.

Here are some very interesting aspects of his life:

1. He bought his first share of stock at age 11 and he now regrets that he started too late!
2. He bought a small farm at age 14 with savings from delivering newspapers.
3. He still lives in the same, small 3-bedroom house in midtown Omaha, that he bought after he got married 50years ago. He says that he has everything he needs in that house. His house does not have a wall or a fence.
4. He drives his own car everywhere and does not have a driver or security people around him.
5. He never travels by private jet, although he owns the world’s largest private jet company. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interesting Tagged With: buffet