MISSED TOP 100?
I am reading your Corporate Report for the 100 fast-growing companies and do not understand your ranking of companies. I do not see Communitech.net anywhere on your list of 100 companies. Yet the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and the Kansas City Business Journal has honored Communitech.net for the past three years. Communitech.net has perhaps 45 employees and more than 20,000 Web sites hosted. They rank among the top 15 web-hosting companies in the world, and have accomplished this in just three years.

Why is your ranking criteria so different from the Business Journal's that Communitech.net can be number 1 on their list, and yet not appear anywhere in the top 100 of your list?
Eric Lehti, certified JD Edwards professional
Fike Corporation

We have a four-year basis requirement, where revenues must exceed $50,000 in year 1 (in this year's case—from 1997), and revenue from 2000 must exceed $1 million. I think you'll find CommuniTech.net and CEO Gabe Murphy among the ranks in 2002, as well as an advocate going forward. Just ask Gabe's mom.
Joe Sweeney, publisher
Ingram's Magazine

COVER-UP WITHOUT PROOF
In the May issue of your magazine there is an article by Jack Cashill in "Between the Lines," which started out to cover the history of TWA. Unfortunately, he also felt called upon to cover, in great detail, his opinion of a "supposed conspiracy" regarding the tragic TWA Flight 800 accident. This article does a great disservice to the families and friends of the accident victims. His article would indicate that most people are in agreement with his "theory." This is not true.

I have had the opportunity to tour the reconstructed plane and work and visit with NTSB and agree with them regarding the malfunction of the center fuel tank. My niece, her husband and her two cousins were on Flight 800 and I have been impressed with the thorough investigation as well as the kindness the NTSB extended to the families.

To indicate a "cover-up" without proof, and to profit from these theories is abhorrent.
Shirley Thomas
Lee's Summit, Mo.

LESS TALK MORE ACTION
There are a few comments I want to make regarding the two editorials on light rail, BETWEEN THE LINES and SAY-SO.

Neither mentioned non-drivers. Most of these are people who don't drive because they can't, for a variety of reasons - the elderly, the disabled, youths and others who don't have licenses and/or don't own cars. These people may not be a majority of the population, but their numbers are significant, and are likely to increase. They need public transportation. For many of them it's the only way to get around.

Mr. Cashill brags about Kansas City's per capita highway miles. That's called "urban sprawl", and I don't think it's anything to be proud of. Why doesn't the city make better use of the land it's already taken, and let our wildlife keep their homes? At any rate, for those who can't drive, all these highway miles just mean more frustration. They represent more areas that are out of reach.

The fact of the matter is that Kansas City's public transportation system is disgracefully inadequate. There are too many places it won't go. Where it does go, often the time and effort required to get there is more than it's worth. Mr. Cashill obviously has had the taste of that; he's a block and a street away from a direct bus to downtown, and he seems to think that's a lot of bother. What would he think of having to walk a mile on a dangerous road that turns into a river when it rains? Or of having to change buses two or three times? What about being stuck for the day and not being able to come in on Saturday because your bus runs only during rush hour on weekdays? And don't even mention cabs to me. Cab companies don't know what the word "service" means.

Mr. Cashill mentions the low ridership Kansas City's bus system currently has. To be sure, a lot of people are attached to their cars (as he apparently is), and would have to learn a new way of thinking. But then, what does he expect, when so few people can use busses to get where they need to go in a reasonably timely and convenient manner?

Personally I don't really care whether Kansas City builds a light rail system, adds more busses, or whatever. I just want to see it do something, and now.
Laura McKittric