All fitness levels welcome. Includes stretches and exercises that help tone, stretch your entire body and leave you feeling energized.
Joel Harper’s Firming after 50


All fitness levels welcome. Includes stretches and exercises that help tone, stretch your entire body and leave you feeling energized.

Your favorite Ruckettes and fellow fans of the show will be at Californos (in Westport) on Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 6:30 pm for cocktails and dinner followed by a hearty roasting, good natured ribbing and irreverent skewering of the cast of KCPT’s Ruckus!
About this event:
A “roast & toast” is an event in which an individual is the subject of a public presentation of comedic insults, jabs, and teasing about their personality, their career and/or their personal lives, along with heartwarming tributes. It is seen by some as a great honor to be roasted, as the individual is surrounded by friends, fans, and well-wishers. The party and presentation itself are both referred to as a roast. The host of the event is called the Roast Master. Anyone who is honored in such a way is said to have been “roasted”.

TOPIC 1: TEEN-FREE ZONE.
The new curfew ordinance took effect last weekend and there were no problems on the Country Club Plaza. In fact, the Plaza may well have been the safest public place in the area this past Friday and Saturday.
TOPIC 2: ATTACKS ON TAX.
Kansas Citians are taxed in a myriad of ways as an excellent Star editorial explained last weekend. To bring some order out of the chaos, the new mayor has appointed a 16-member panel to review municipal finance and make recommendations.
TOPIC 3: THE MORE THINGS CHANGE…THE MORE THEY STAY THE SAME.
A new state report shows the Kansas City, Missouri, school district’s test scores fail to meet most of the state’s criteria. Some fear this will lead to the district’s loss of its provisional accreditation status.
TOPIC 4: KEEP YOUR MONEY!
Kansas Governor Brownback is rejecting a federal grant to help implement part of the new “Obamacare” legislation. Brownback says states need to prepare for fewer resources. Kansas applied for the grant before Brownback was inaugurated.

TOPIC 1: A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCH
Writing in the Star, Henry Bloch (H&R Block) calls for a balanced approach to the federal budget and tax policy. Noting that he’s a registered Republican, Bloch defends the idea of raising tax rates on the wealthy.
TOPIC 2: A WIDENING GAP
New Pew Center research says the gap in wealth between whites and minorities (namely blacks and Hispanics) continues to widen.
TOPIC 3: EASTWARD HO!!
News accounts indicate that now some businesses are moving into Kansas City, Missouri, from Johnson County. On the “eco-devo” war front, Mayor James says these developments result from changes at City Hall.
TOPIC 4: PROBABLY NOT THE GREATEST GENERATION.
The under 30s, dubbed the “Millenials,” voted in large numbers for President Obama in 2008. New studies show that white members of that generation are now moving toward the GOP.

TOPIC 1: SUPERINTENDENT GRANT?
The future governance of the Kansas City School District remains unclear. Mayor James has offered a plan where he (and future mayors) would serve as head of the district. Another plan features a state-appointed board among whose members would be Gwen. Yael writes that the claim by Gwen and her associates that they are qualified to run the district is “laughable.”
TOPIC 2: NO CHANGE.
The Johnson County Charter Commission has reviewed the governing document and has offered no major changes. One that had been contemplated was a return to partisan elections.
TOPIC 3: SAY GOODBYE TO KCI
It appears inevitable that Kansas City International will undergo major changes over the next decade. Yael is unhappy with the plan and believes many others share his view. KCI was opened in October 1972.
TOPIC 4: HUNTING FOR HUNTSMAN’S APPEAL
Some analysts, including George Will, suggest that Republicans seeking a presidential nominee take a second look at Jon Huntsman. Will says the former Utah governor and Ambassador to China offers the most conservative program.

TOPIC 1: WINNING! WINNING! WINNING!
With the help of some Charlie Sheen video, we’ll talk about the importance of sports franchises justifying taxpayers’ investments by WINNING!!!. This is in the context of the Star editorial about the sports complex on Saturday and the Chiefs’ victory on Sunday.
TOPIC 2: BACKING BROWNBACK.
The Kansas Governor has unveiled a plan to revise school financing. The plan has met with approval by many in Johnson County.
TOPIC 3: STILL A SCHOOL BOARD?
Amid all the talk of a state takeover of the Kansas City School District or the development of a system run by the mayor, it’s a bit surprising to be reminded that there’s a school board election coming in April. In a Star piece about the election, Joe Robertson wrote that this indicates“…there is more life in the maligned institution than many of its critics expected.”
TOPIC 4: DEMOCRATIC DEMOLITION?
Polling continues to show President Obama may have a tough time winning a second term. Because we will have Mr. Glorioso’s expertise available to us, we’ll talk about Obama and how he should conduct his campaign.

Ruckus is a lively roundtable about the big ticket issues that face our community today. Moderator Mike Shanin leads the ensemble of conservatives and liberals as they duke it out over whose view will stand.
TOPIC 1: THE BILLION DOLLAR MAN!
Mayor James outlines his reaction to the City Manager’s budget plan and calls for a ten-year general obligation bond issue of a billion dollars to deal with infra-structure problems.
TOPIC 2: PLAYGROUND OR CULTURAL HUB?
The opening of an art gallery in the West Bottoms area causes some to think this suggests the area will evolve into a “cultural hub.” Meantime, a Star columnist sees the West Bottoms’ future as a sort of “playground” for adults.
TOPIC 3: LINE-ITEM VETO—AGAIN!
Senator McCaskill is introducing legislation (along with both Democrats & Republicans) to give the president line-item veto authority. The legislation is identical a bill already passed by the house.
TOPIC 4: PALIN POWER.
During an appearance on Fox News Sunday, Governor Palin called Mitt Romney a “great candidate,’ but expressed concern that he was not instinctively a conservative. In the video clip we’ll play, she says she’s not convinced he’s reached that point.

TOPIC 1: WHAT TIGHT BUDGET?
The Kansas City Council has approved a pay raise for firefighters ranging from 2-18 percent. Firefighters received no raises for the past two years. The Council vote was 11-1.
TOPIC 2: WHO’S ON FIRST?
Steve Kraske writes that Kansas re-districting might result in the third congressional district becoming part of the first, despite their vast dissimilarities.
TOPIC 3: POWER AND “WHITE” DISTRICT?
Blogger Tony Botello (Tony’s Kansas City) is calling for a boycott of the P&L District. Botello claims the method of collecting cover charges during certain weekend hours discriminates against minorities and the working poor. The ten-dollar cover for the “live” area can only be paid by debit or credit cards, not with cash.
TOPIC 4: SPECIAL(?) SESSION.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon is calling a special legislative session for September. Among the ostensible reasons is to give Kansas City some additional tools to more effectively attract new business and industry.

TOPIC 1: DIOCESAN DISPUTE!
The Bishop of the Kansas City-St. Joseph Diocese, Robert Finn, has refused to step down, despite intense criticism for his handling of child abuse and sexual misconduct allegations involving priests. Instead, Finn has appointed former U.S. Attorney Todd Graves to review policies and procedures to deal with such concerns.
TOPIC 2: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ELECTIONS?
Columnist Mike Hendricks writes that Johnson County has too few minorities in elective office. He notes that the minority population is about 18 percent; however, only one minority, a Latina, holds office.
TOPIC 3: NO COLOR LINE IN KC. MO.
Certainly, Kansas City, Missouri, and Jackson County have a number of minority elected officials. Among them, Kansas City Mayor Sly James.
TOPIC 4: NEWT-INY.
Sixteen staffers left the Newt Gingrich presidential campaign last week, apparently troubled by his wife’s influence on how and how often he campaigns. Gingrich says the aides are outmoded in their thinking about how presidential campaigns should be run. And he expects to prove them wrong.

TOPIC 1: TROY AGAIN
The City Council has finally named Troy Schulte City Manager, eliminating the “acting” from his title. We can discuss what his goals are and what obstacles he will face.
TOPIC 2: CHIEF CONCERN
Kansas City Police Chief Jim Corwin is retiring. The Star says his legacy is “mixed.” The paper also calls for the Police Board to consider applicants from both within and outside the department.
TOPIC 3: DECLINE TO SIGN
The rezoning battle on the Country Club Plaza has taken a new turn. Proponents of the new zoning are campaigning to discourage citizens from signing a referendum petition that could place the issue on the November ballot.
TOPIC 4: MEET HERMAN CAIN
Herman Cain is among the most recent entrants into the race for the GOP presidential nomination. Cain is a former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza, once served as president of the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City and now hosts a radio talk show. He’s never held elective office.