Wichitans on front page of NY Times

Dr. Mila Means, right, at a rally with Kari Ann Rinker of the National Organization for Women.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/10/us/10abortion.html?_r=1&hp

July 9, 2011
Wichita Doctor Takes Up Fight for Abortions

By A. G. SULZBERGER

WICHITA, Kan. — Not long ago, Dr. Mila Means, the physician trying to open an abortion clinic in this city, received a letter advising her to check under her car each morning — “because maybe today is the day someone places an explosive under it,” the note said.

There was reason for concern: the last doctor to provide abortions here was shot to death because of his work. But rather than lower her profile, Dr. Means raised it by buying a car that nobody could miss: a bright-yellow Mini Cooper, emblazoned, appropriately enough, with lightning bolts.

“It’s partly an in-your-face response,” she explained. “You’re looking for me. I’m here.”

Two years have passed since this city, for decades the volatile epicenter of the national fight over abortion, was shaken by the murder of Dr. George R. Tiller — a controversial figure because of his willingness to perform later-term abortions — by a man who said he wanted to stop the killing of babies.

(more at link)

787 Dreamliner teaches Boeing costly lesson on outsourcing

The airliner is billions of dollars over budget and about three years late. Much of the blame belongs to the company’s farming out work to suppliers around the nation and in foreign countries.

What about Wichita?

“I was born here in the city
With my back against the wall
Nothing grows, and life ain’t very pretty
No one’s there to catch you when you fall”

“In the City” –  by the Eagles – written by Wichita native Joe Walsh

Many of us here at this humble little blog call Wichita, Kansas home. Some are life-long residents and others, like me, are transplanted from points beyond. Much to the chagrin of some, I am not going anywhere soon, since two of my three children live here as do all of my grandchildren

Wichitans are a bit schizoid. We live in a city that can’t make up it’s mind whether to be a small big city or a large small town.

We have a number of factors working against us. One, Wichita doesn’t have a whole lot to offer in terms of attracting tourists. We are largely a one industry town, and we live and die with that industry. Our populations centers are divided between relative wealth and abject poverty.

Our city and county governments are largely directed by morons that feel the need to hire an overpriced outside consultant to do all their thinking for them.

So, is Wichita, Kansas ever to become more than a refueling stop on a trip from Dallas to KC?

Well, we do have a few things going for us Wichitans. In general, we are not complete idiots,  we have the Old Town and the Delano districts, a good library system, a decent downtown arena, WSU, Lawrence-Dumont stadium, an okay road system and a world-class zoo.

Other cities in our region have managed to pull themselves up and move beyond the truck stop mentality. Oklahoma City, Tulsa and Omaha have done fairly well for themselves.

So what is it going to take for Wichita to move forward?

Well, for one, we need to collectively decided just who the Hell are we. Are we tobacco chewing, gun toting, redneck hicks or are we a bit more sophisticated than that?

What are your thoughts? Where do we go from here?

William Stephenson Clark