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Visit to Joplin reveals tornado's power

For a week, one of the nation’s deadliest tornadoes on record dominated the news.

Then, reports of the tragedy that ripped the heart out of Joplin, Mo., were replaced by the antics of a disgraced New York congressman, and the nation moved on.

I visited Joplin 29 days after the destruction.

It was clear that while much of America and the rest of the world were focused elsewhere, the people of Joplin still were trying to piece their lives back together — something that will be going on for a long time to come.

I was in Missouri for a livestock sale but arrived a day early and spent Father’s Day driving south from Kansas City on a circuitous route that would eventually take me back to Sedalia, where the sale was being held.

As I drove through the idyllic countryside, the fields were green and the rolling hills were dotted with farms, trees, churches, cattle, silos and the occasional store selling pecans.

About 35 miles north of Joplin, I began passing large trucks filled with debris. Still, the countryside remained unchanged.

I had never seen trucks like these. They were coal black and high-sided. Between each truck and trailer was a hydraulic unit capable of loading the vehicle. Apparently they are rather common in other parts of the United States and many of them move from disaster to disaster. The ones in Joplin had license plates from Oklahoma, Illinois, Florida, Wisconsin and, of course, Missouri. There must surely have been trucks from many other states as well.  

As I entered Joplin, there were large tents set up with signs offering water and free meals. Multiple relief organizations were still very much in operation. The historic business district appeared untouched and, in portions of the community, it was business as usual.

South of the downtown area, I topped a rise and suddenly encountered a scene of utter devastation. I was immediately struck by the almost total absence of color and the enormity of the area that had been ravaged. I had seen the pictures and imagined that perhaps the direct hit had consumed 10 or 12 blocks.

I spent about three hours walking and driving around taking pictures and trying to comprehend the force that could have done so much damage in so little time. By some estimates, everything was over in about 45 seconds. Had I stayed only five minutes on the scene, it would still have been enough to make a lasting impression.

Perhaps most disconcerting of all was the randomness of where the tornado chose to touch down. All around the edges of this remarkable scene were homes that appeared to be untouched. A block in any direction from the rubble were houses and businesses that escaped damage.

New York Department of Motor Vehicles – What They Don't Want You ...

We are completely surrounded. They are on every street, every intersection, every highway. They zoom by at all hours of the day, but we hardy see them until something goes horribly wrong. Cars are an integral part of our daily lives. In the case of an accident, road rage or a crime, a license plate number can be the key information that you need.

It’s not always easy to get this information in New York State. The powers that be in Albany have declared that the New York Department of Motor Vehicles cannot release this kind of sensitive information to private citizens.

Luckily, there are other ways besides asking the New York Department of Motor Vehicles to get the information you need, if you have a license plate number. An no, that friend of a friend of a friend who sells “information” on Canal Street will not be able to help you!

An easy and legitimate source for a reverse license plate search is one of the private companies that create and maintain personal information databases. These databases cover license plate numbers, VINs (Vehicle Identification Numbers), vehicle registration records, the name of the car owner, accident records, vehicle history and driving records. Even all you have to start with is a license plate number, you can get a wealth of information from a private database.

Many people, when they hear about private companies keeping databases of personal information, protest that this must be a violation of privacy in some way. But the truth is that all of this information is obtained legally, and these private companies are at liberty to use it in any way they see fit.

So in fact by using one of the information databases to lookup a license plate or find a VIN, you will be saving yourself the hassle of standing in line for hours at the New York DMV or simply being turned away from your local police precinct. A private database can save you time and trouble because you are working with a private company whose business is efficient access to legal information.

Most of these private companies do charge for searches of their databases, but the cost is usually worth it because it’s often the only way that a private citizen can get such information, since the New York Department of Motor Vehicles can’t assist you. If you have a license plate number and you want to know as much information as you can about the person who owns that vehicle, a private database search is the best place to start. Information is important. It’s up to you to decide if your situation merits having to spend money to get that information. Many people decide that they do need the information.

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