Daybreaker Blog

Pets on Parade (Continued)

2007-10-22T07:00:00Z

We have a few more entries today in our ongoing exhibition of pets in Halloween costumes.

Jesse and Diane Owen's year-old Malti-poo (that's half-Maltese, half-poodle) named Polly has got a little Wonder Woman action going on.

Meantime, Donna Lindahl's horses, Charm and Truly are modeling their headwear for Halloween: Charm is trying on Dr. Seuss's famous hat for size... and Charm is going for the brunette "rock star" look.

Remember, to add your pictures to our growing gallery, send them to dubill@nbcactionnews.com .

Time to Stop Putting It Off

2007-10-19T08:35:00Z

Friday is National Mammography Day, another reminder during *** Cancer month about the importance of early detection. Yearly mammograms are now recommended for every woman after the age of 40, and women who haven't reached that age are encouraged to have a *** exam by a doctor or nurse at least once every three years.

Here are some events this weekend associated with National Mammography Day:

There's a Think Pink event at the Legends 14 Theaters in Village West in KCK on Saturday from 8:00-11:00am. Participants can have breakfast from Hash House A Go-Go and learn the very latest information on how to beat *** cancer from Dr. Elizabeth Kent. It costs $15 per person or 2 for $20. You must register in advance and can do so by calling 913-281-7777 or going here.

Menorah Medical Center has mammogram appointments every Saturday in October, part of a program called Muffins and Mammograms. You can make an appointment or you can walk in and wait for one. The hours are 8:00am-Noon at entry B of the hospital's *** center at 119th and Nall.

The American Cancer Society has a Reach to Recovery recertification and training session on Saturday at the Kansas City Metro Office. Reach to Recovery is a program where volunteer *** cancer survivors contact women who've been recently diagnosed to help provide support and encouragement. For more information, call 913-432-3277.

Finally, the American Cancer Society also offers a free mammogram reminder and *** cancer kit, complete with a fridge magnet to help keep track of your next checkup. You can get one by calling 1-800-ACS-2345.

Pets on Parade

2007-10-18T08:54:00Z

Earlier this week, we put out the call for pet owners who dress up their animals in costumes for Halloween to share the pictures with us. Here are our first contributions. The Gibbs family of Green Ridge, MO sent us photos of Hogan, who's dressed up as the wolf in granny's clothing from Little Red Riding Hood, and their Australian Shepherd Roxie, who's playing Little Bo Peep.

Donna Lindahl of Knob Noster sent us a photo her horses Charm and Truly (Truly is wearing the feminine flowered hat). They went on a "dinner date" together and dressed up for the occasion.

During the date, Charm removed Truly's hat, and well...

...he ate it.

If you have photos to contribute, send your very best ones to us at field@nbcactionnews.com

Animal Attractions

2007-10-16T06:50:00Z

One of the growing Halloween trends in recent years is pet owners dressing their four-legged friends in costumes -- and the choices seem to get bigger every year. If you're one of those people, we'd love to see your photos.

E-mail your best picture to field@nbcactionnews.com and we'll put as many as we can on the air, and here on the daybreaker blog.

Come See "The Coward"

2007-10-12T06:38:00Z

Brad Pitt's long-delayed new movie, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, should be of particular interest to people in this part of the country. Jesse, as many people know, was born in Clay County, robbed a lot of banks in northwest Missouri and was shot at a home in St. Joseph.

The movie, which critics have called epic and elegiac, centers around Jesse's relationship with admirer and hanger-on Robert Ford, the so-called "coward" who eventually shot him and brought his legendary reign of terror to an end.

Not long ago, I received an e-mail from Jerry McCarter at the Ray County Econonic Development Council. He wanted everyone to know that if you're interested in seeing Robert Ford's gravesite, you don't have to go very far. He's buried in the Richmond Cemetery and if you'd like directions, you can call the Chamber of Commerce at 816-776-6916.

As for the film, it's been getting good reviews, especially for Pitt and Casey Affleck's performances as James and Ford. Be advised, however, the film is almost as long as its title, clocking in at two hours at 40 minutes. Read a bunch of reviews here to see if it's worth your time.

Pot Pie Recall Expands

2007-10-10T06:53:00Z

Con Agra's recall now extends to ALL varieties of Banquet Pot Pies, as well as the Great Value and Kirkland brands that it sells in Wal-Mart and Aldi stores. The pot pies are linked to salmonella outbreaks in 31 states that have made 165 people sick.

Below is the latest release from the company.

CONAGRA FOODS RECALLS ALL BANQUET POT PIES

AND STORE BRAND POT PIES

OMAHA, Neb., Oct. 11, 2007 – ConAgra Foods announced today that it is continuing its efforts to ensure consumer safety by voluntarily recalling all varieties of Banquet brand frozen pot pies and all varieties of store brand frozen pot pies sold under the names of Albertson’s, Hill Country Fare, Food Lion, Great Value, Kirkwood, Kroger, Meijer and Western Family.

Earlier this week, ConAgra Foods was contacted by state health officials regarding concerns that some of its Banquet poultry pot pie products may be linked to an outbreak of salmonella. In cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), on Oct. 9, ConAgra Foods directed retailers to remove the poultry pot pies from shelves, suspended pot pie production in its Marshall, Mo., plant and advised consumers to not eat these products and discard these products while an investigation was conducted.

As that investigation continues, ConAgra Foods today voluntarily issued the recall to ensure the utmost clarity for consumers about the fact that they should not eat these products. Additionally, to avoid any confusion on pot pie varieties, ConAgra Foods has simplified the recall to include all Banquet and store brand pot pie varieties, as listed above and at the end of this release.

If they wish, consumers may continue to use the same return process as described on Tuesday. They may return these products to ConAgra Foods for a refund by sending the side panel of the package that contains the UPC code to ConAgra Foods, Dept. BQPP, P.O. Box 3768, Omaha, NE 68103-0768. If consumers prefer, they may return the product to the store from which it was purchased for a refund. Consumers should discard the product prior to returning the entire package or panel containing UPC code to their retail store.

As conveyed earlier this week, ConAgra Foods reminds consumers that these products are not ready-to-eat. Before the product returns to market, the company will revise on-package cooking directions to provide additional clarity on proper preparation by consumers. Proper cooking of all not-ready-to-eat products, including pot pies, is specifically designed to eliminate the presence of common pathogens found in many uncooked products.

Consumers with questions about Banquet or store brand pot pies may call 1-866-484-8671 or contact us online at www.conagrafoods.com/contactus. For more information on food safety, consumers may reference IFIC.org.

The recall includes all Banquet pot pie varieties, including poultry and beef. The store brand not-ready-to-eat pot pie products include all varieties under the following brand names:

Albertson’s (sold at Albertson’s);
Hill Country Fare (sold at HEB);
Food Lion (sold at Food Lion);
Great Value (sold at Wal-Mart);
Kirkwood (sold at Aldi);
Kroger (sold at Kroger);
Meijer (sold at Meijer);
Western Family (now discontinued; previously sold at a variety of small retailers).

ConAgra Foods Inc. (NYSE: CAG) is one of North America’s leading packaged food companies, serving grocery retailers, as well as restaurants and other foodservice establishments. For more information, please visit us at www.conagrafoods.com.

Consumers who want a refund for their pot pie should send the side panel of the package that contains the "P-9" location code to the following address: ConAgra Foods, Dept. BQPP, P.O. Box 3768, Omaha, NE 68103-0768. Consumers with questions can call the company toll free at (866) 484-8671.

A Hang-Up With the Do Not Call List

2007-10-09T06:56:00Z

Millions of people have signed up for the federal Do Not Call List and loved every minute of it. What you may not know is that numbers on the list are set to expire after five years. If you signed up in 2003, your name and number will be callable again sometime next year, unless you re-register.

The good news is, the process is simple. Click here to see if you're on the list and click here to add it. If you have people calling you who shouldn't, click here to bust 'em.

And you can click here for more information, including something that everyone with a cell phone will want to know.

He Can't Run, But He Can Hide

2007-10-08T07:51:00Z

After another disappointing performance at Arrowhead on Sunday, the Chiefs mega-million dollar man, Larry Johnson, avoided the media and just about everyone else after the game. Johnson is not solely to blame for the Chiefs offensive (in every meaning of the term) performance during the game. There's enough to go around. I was at the game and I can honestly say that the bright spots were 1) that clouds and wind kept it relatively cool and comfortable and 2) the heavy rain held off until we were in the car.

Speaking of the car, I sure would like to know who decided it was a good idea to change the parking routes entering the stadium this week. I've been going to games for 25 years and have always been able to turn left on the road between lots B and C. This week, someone instead re-routed us into lot D, forcing us to drive across three lanes of pedestrian traffic. Then, they funnelled all the cars out of lot D into one lane heading for the exit. We sat in our car almost motionless for 45 minutes. That is rarely a problem with the usual traffic pattern, and someone needs to explain why they decided to "fix" something that wasn't broken. As for the aggresive silver-haired woman who came within millimeters of hitting our car (and did hit one other), let's just say that karma has a funny way of coming back around.

Did anyone else have unusual trouble getting in or out of the stadium this weekend? Give us your thoughts in the comments section. Just keep it clean.

The Urge to Purge at the K

2007-10-04T10:50:00Z

I found something funny in the Kansas City Star this morning. Among the list of amenities in the Kauffman Stadium renovation was "expanded vomitories to field level concourse".

Vomitories?

My first thought was the ancient Roman barf rooms we used to hear about in school. As bad as the Royals have been in recent years, I didn't think the stadium needed a special facility for regurgitation, especially taxpayers picking up the tab.

A quick dictionary check indicates that a vomitory is an architectural term. It means "one of the tunnellike passages of an ampitheater or stadium between the seats and the outside wall or passageway." Pretty much all stadiums, arenas, and many modern movie theaters have vomitories. (Imagine the entrance to a stadium-seating movie auditorium). The only thing that gets purged in them is the crowd.

That's your vocabulary word for the day. Feel free to use it in your casual conversations.

Toys Your Kids May Have Their Eyes On

2007-10-03T07:02:00Z

Hannah Montana isn't only a hot concert ticket - it's likely to be one of the season's hottest-selling toys, according to FAO Schwartz. The famed retailer has unveiled a list of what it expects to be the 12 hottest-selling toys this season, and Hannah Montana singing dolls are on the list, along with the high-tech magnifying glass Eye-Clops (above).

Good luck finding some of these items, but the earlier you start looking, the better off you're likely to be. Might we suggest you look here?

American Idol Talent Challenge
Aqua Dots Super Studio
Barbie Girls
Eye-Clops
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Hannah Montana Singing Dolls & Pop Star Stage
Nerf N-Strike Disc Shot
Rubik's Revolution
Smart Cycle
Spotz
Swypeout Online Battle Racing
Transformers Arm Blasters / Transformers Movie Ultimate Bumblebee

Get Your Bid Down in Motown

2007-10-03T06:55:00Z

Detroit's Tigers Stadium hasn't been used for much of anything since Comerica Park opened before the turn of the century, and the city is tired of paying to maintain it. It's set for demolition soon, but fans will first have the opportunity to take home some souvenirs. Everything that they can rip out of the stadium is up for auction between now and October 13th, including seats, signs, turnstiles and even the dugout urinal. How about the "Kansas City" sign from the scoreboard?

You can check out all the items here. The fun ends a week from Saturday.

Mice, Mice Baby

2007-10-01T08:30:00Z

Animal and horticulture experts say homeowners in the metro might hear the pitter-patter of little feet this winter. Mice are expected to be a bigger problem in homes and apartments around town. That's because our April freeze hurt the fruit, nut and seed production of some trees, and the little critters may have trouble finding food. Except, of course, in your pantry.

During a mouse problem in our home last winter, we tried humane traps, snap traps, sticky traps and one of the high-tech devices designed to drive them off with a high pitched squeal. None of them worked. We spoke to an exterminator, whose candid advice was simply to "get a cat." We got a cat, and within a few days, the mouse problem was solved.

Have you tried anything that's worked to get rid of mice? Share your experiences in the comments section. We may need all the advice we can get this year.

Some Very Good Days at The Office

2007-09-26T20:27:00Z

With NBC's hit comedy The Office returning for its fourth season on Thursday night, the Daybreaker blog has decided to come up with our nominees for ten funniest episodes of one of our favorite series. Sure, there are other episodes with priceless moments, but if you've missed a few episodes here and there, these are good places to start.

If you disagree with any of our picks - or want to recommend an episode of your own - the comments section is all yours.

10. BOYS AND GIRLS (season 2) CLIP
Synopsis: When Jan holds a seminar for the women of the office, Michael takes the men down to the warehouse for an ill-conceived bonding session of their own.
Classic Michael Scott Line: "Pizza is the great equalizer. Rich people love pizza, poor people love pizza. White people love pizza, black people love pizza. Do black people love pizza?"

9. BEACH GAMES (season 3) CLIP
Synopsis: Michael takes the staff to Lake Scranton for a series of Survivor-style challenges to see who might make a worthy successor for his job. Pam uses the occasion to get something off her chest.
Classic Michael Scott Line: "I want today to be a beautiful memory that the staff and I share after I have passed on to New York. And if Toby is a part of it...then it'll suck."

8. THE INJURY (season 2) CLIP
Synopsis: Michael needs special attention after burning his foot on a George Foreman grill and Dwight gets into a car accident.
Classic Michael Scott Line: "I enjoy having breakfast in bed. I like waking up to the smell of bacon, sue me. And since I don't have a butler, I have to do it myself. So, most nights before I go to bed, I will lay six strips of bacon out on my George Foreman grill. Then I go to sleep. When I wake up, I plug in the grill. I go back to sleep again. Then I wake up to the smell of crackling bacon. It is delicious, it's good for me, it's the perfect way to start the day."

7. DIVERSITY DAY (season 1) CLIP
Synopsis: A consultant comes to give the staff a seminar on tolerance and diversity, prompting Michael to share some opinions of his own.
Classic Michael Scott Line: "Um, let me ask you, is there a term besides ‘Mexican' that you prefer? Something less offensive?"

6. THE JOB (season 3) CLIP
Synopsis: Michael, Jim and Karen interview for a job in New York, unaware that it's going to mean a serious setback for Jan's career. Meantime, a surprise gift has Jim suddenly re-thinking his plans.
Classic Michael Scott Line: "I guess you could come and stay at my condo, I think I could back out of the sale. I'd probably get some negative feedback on my eBay profile."

5. HEALTH CARE (season 1) CLIP
Synopsis: Michael meets with the staff to discuss changes to their health care program, and whether to cover such urgent health care conditions as hot dog fingers and Count Choculitis.
Classic Michael Scott Line: "The most sacred thing I do is care and provide for my workers, my family. I give them money, I give them food. Not directly, but through the money. I heal them. Today I am in charge of picking a great new healthcare plan. Right? That's what this is all about. Does that make me their doctor? Umm... yes, in a way."

4. CASINO NIGHT (season 2) CLIP
Synopsis: Michael juggles two dates during a casino fundraiser in the warehouse and Jim catches Pam off-guard with a memorable confession.
Classic Michael Scott Line: "There are certain topics that are off limits to comedians: JFK, Aids, the Holocaust. The Lincoln assassination just recently because funny-I need to see this play like I need a hole in the head. And I hope to someday live in a world where a person could tell a hilarious AIDS joke. Still one of my dreams."

3. OFFICE OLYMPICS (season 2) CLIP
Synopsis: While Michael and Dwight are away, Jim stages the first-ever office olympics, complete with opening and closing ceremonies and medals.
Classic Michael Scott Line: I'm an early bird... And, I'm a night owl. So I'm wise, and, I have worms.

2. THE BOOZE CRUISE (season 2) CLIP
Synopsis: Michael takes the staff on a "booze cruise" in the middle of January, and Jim and Pam have a heartbreaking moment.
Classic Michael Scott Line: What is the deal with the guy jumping overboard? If he had just waited, and listened to what I had to say, he would be motivated right now, and not all wet.

1. THE CHRISTMAS PARTY (season 2) CLIP
Synopsis: Michael gets a big bonus and holds an office holiday party, including a wild game of "yankee swap".
Classic Michael Scott Line: Presents are the best way to show someone you care. It is like this tangible thing that you can point to and say, "Hey man, I love you this many dollars worth."

What's your favorite Office moment? Give us your thoughts in the comments section.

A Bonds Issue?

2007-09-26T08:24:00Z

With baseball's all-time home run king soon to be a free agent after the season, there's some suggestion the Royals might be interested in his services, at least for the short-term. It's certainly not the most likely thing to happen, but it might be a better fit than you think.

After all, the team needs a proven slugger in the lineup and Bonds still has an enviable on-base percentage. A one or two year deal for the slugger could also do some magic at the turnstiles, as every home run he hits will break his own record for career longballs. The Royals expect to have a little bit of money available to spend, too, and Bonds could prove affordable, if his baggage scares enough other teams away.

Of course, it's the baggage that presents the biggest downside. Bonds' record was set under a cloud of controversy over performance-enhancing drugs. He's been vilified as a cheater in ballparks all over America. Do the Royals really want to invite that circus every time they take the field? The Royals may not have won much in the past ten years, but they've stayed pretty clear of scandal during that time, too. Now that the team appears to be on the cusp of contention, is Bonds the type of image they want to project?

What do you think? Should the Royals make an effort to sign Bonds when he becomes available at the season's end, or should they take a pass?

Give us your thoughts in the comments section.

A Viking Funeral at Arrowhead

2007-09-24T08:42:00Z

What was uglier - the Chiefs win over the Vikings or the idiot who ran out on the field and got tackled by K.C. Wolf? Did the second-half turnaround make you optimistic for the rest of the season, or will the Chiefs get their heads handed to them against a desperate Chargers team next week? Which player do you think deserve a game ball, and which one should have to run some extra sprints at practice?

Run to the comments section and give us your thoughts on the Chiefs, Sunday's game or the NFL in general. It's your chance to play Monday Morning Quarterback.