KANSAS CITY IS CURSED!!!

I've lived here all of my life. Anyone who has any "history" in Kansas City knows this town has a certain vibe.

There's something peculiar about Kansas City and its people that nobody mentions . . . Like someone breaking wind in a crowded elevator at work or a girlfriend putting on 20lbs. I don't know if it comes from living in the middle of the most powerful nation on the planet or because this was once a spot where the Natives roamed freely before (white) people nearly erased them from history prior to the word genocide being invented.

Still, there's no denying that Kansas City's "character" has a crazy, racist, unreliable, mediocre, corrupt and uncaring vibe to it . . . Very much like a troubled spirit or a working class white broad with a mild to serious drug habit.

Here are some examples to prove my point:



An exhibit featuring dead Chinese people is soon to come to town. There have been some very serious doubts that all of these dead Chinese folks featured in funny poses have given their consent to be involved in the disturbing display . . . And most likely the dead Chinese fetuses which are going to be shown in the Union Station side show didn't sign any papers. Strangely, eerily TKC was one of the few people to raise any concerns about the ethical implications of this show while the rest of the ghouls in the KC area have mistaken a carnival act for science which only further displays the ghastly kind of people in the area and their lack of concern for anyone who doesn't fit their demographic. Really, if Kansas City is cursed than this nearly blasphemous body exhibit will only make things worse . . . I've read that Chinese people are pretty particular about the treatment of the dead and there's always ensuing trouble when traditions are broken if old Charlie Chan movies have informed me correctly.



The Latinos around Kansas City are pissed off as of late. Like the Chinese, these are very superstitious people and making them angry regularly brings curses and bad juju of all sorts. Sure, there's a tendency to ignore the spiritual aspect of our daily lives . . . But I know better. I once walked through my great grandmother's house with dirty shoes and she promised me that I would live in a basement until I was 40 despite my best efforts for the affront to her home. Since that time I dare not cross angry Latinas. I try and pay them the proper amount of respect.



Let's not forget that most of this City ignores almost each and every murder on the Eastside. A lot of the victims are young, Black men . . . The circumstances of their deaths are often troubling. The prospect of so many lives taken violently, before their time and in anger certainly could give way to a few lost souls lingering about Kansas City and haunting this town while we do our best to ignore the specter of so much carnage in KC's minority communities.

(Editor's note: All right enough already with the magical, mystical people of color angle.)



On a somewhat brighter note, the delusion of light rail in Kansas City has brought out one weirdo after the next with insane plans that almost have to be from the great beyond. The pie in the sky designs don't make any sense and people who see through the efforts (that often come from folks who don't even live in KC Proper) pray that they don't awake to a nightmare in which these dolts are taken seriously.



Every sports fan in Kansas City knows that this town's teams have been cursed since the frightful Christmas evening in 1971 when Jan Stenerud missed a game-winning field goal with only 35 seconds left on the clock in what will always be the longest game in NFL History. This was the last Chiefs team that was truly competitive. The heartbreaking loss crushed the spirit of the Chiefs and now ALL of KC's teams are DOOMED to mediocrity with occasional lapses of brilliance that only serve to remind us how much they all suck.



Finally, the ghost of Boss Tom is still at play in Kansas City politics. He laughs at the foolish efforts of every reformer and grins while almost every high powered Kansas City administration falls into the lingering system of corruption that he perfected. Boss Tom's spell cast Kansas City into an endless cycle of gerrymandered districts drawn upon racial and class lines, political committees that mostly serve to control constituencies rather than represent them and the very fact that our most important elections take place in the coldest part of the year when even fewer people bother to make it out to the polls is proof of his presence.

Sure, modern science, our high tech world and most legitimate organized religions tell us that curses and ghouls aren't real but it's hard to find another excuse for a town with so much potential remaining mired in apathy, mediocrity, palpable racial tension and mindlessly chasing one pipe dream after the next for oh so many years. The possibility certainly exists that otherworldly forces are at play . . . Or maybe expecting greatness from a Cowtown is losing proposition.

X-Mas in Octorber

Star 102 is playing X-mas music today in a bold marketing attempt to make everyone say "Why in the Hell are they playing X-mas music so early?"

The world (or at least all of KC media) is starting to resemble and early morning talk show.

Old school photography in Kansas City

According to the world's most accurate encyclopedia: The daguerreotype is an early type of photograph, developed by Louis Daguerre, in which the image is exposed directly onto a mirror-polished surface of silver bearing a coating of silver halide particles deposited by iodine vapor . . . The daguerreotype is a negative image, but the mirrored surface of the metal plate reflects the image and makes it appear positive in the proper light. Thus, daguerreotype is a direct photographic process without the capacity for duplication.

This old school form of photography will be the subject of this year's Daguerreian Society Symposium, which runs from Thursday through Sunday at the Nelson-Atkins Museum.

While the locals haven't been paying much attention to news from the Nelson (and who could blame them?) and basically ignoring the ugly ass addition the Museum on general principle, another media blog promotes the event with the following passage:

The symposium itself will include a celebration of the museum's recently acquired Hallmark Photographic Collection, a jaw-dropping 6,500 works by 900 artists, including everyone from "dag" legends Southworth & Hawes to Lee Friedlander and Cindy Sherman.

For more old school artsy news check out the press release the Nelson-Atkins Museum put together promoting the photography event.

And while I don't find the subject exciting in the least, I will note that it keeps in the tradition of Kansas City peeps paying far too much respect to the past and maybe hints that the new Bloch building is already looking a bit outdated and a lot like something that was dreamed up in 1999.

KANSAS CITY DROPOUT FACTORIES!!!

A FANTASTIC REPORT FROM KMBC: Twenty Missouri schools and seven Kansas schools were identified by Johns Hopkins University researchers as "dropout factories" because no more than 60 percent of the students who start as freshmen make it to their senior year.

Here's the KC List The percentage is the percent of students who start as freshmen and make it to their senior years:

Southeast High, Kansas City, 39 percent

Southwest Charter, Kansas City, 45 percent

Van Horn High, Kansas City, 34 percent

Even worse, The Latino Community in Kansas City has a higher dropout rate than any of these schools and so far, because Mayor Funky as mad at local Latinos . . . No one from his Administration has contacted prominent members of our community to take part in his widely touted "Education Summit" . . . Thank you Frances Semler!!!

Local Latino educators, wait for a panicked phone call from Joe Miller in 3, 2 . . .

They are not Mething around!!!

Northland drug sweep starts this morning.

Secrets of the dead: I (vaguely) knew Tony Rios but I can't write about his demise

Every time I hear about Tony Rios and Olivia Raya case I have to cringe.

Don't get me wrong. The family and friends of these two are doing a lot of great work for a good cause nowadays.

But what makes me uncomfortable is that we'll never read or hear the whole story about the case in the mainstream media. And I won't (can't) go into it because I have to live in this community. Of course they'll be interesting and disturbing details eventually released in the court documents but most people won't pay attention.

Everyone is sticking to some fairy tale story about a home invasion and innocent victims and nobody is asking questions which may impact the lives of other people in the metro. Obviously, it's nearly impossible to ask people to be forthcoming while they're grieving but the attempt to turn the deceased into martyrs begs a lot of questions . . . Which I don't have the heart to ask.

So many people die under violent circumstances in Kansas City . . . There are always rumors. I've heard talk of mysterious circumstances in one case after the next over the time I've run this blog . . . Annony e-mails making bold claims often find their way to me. From expensive and lavish graduation gifts to any number of alleged improprieties involved in a murder; I've read and heard it all. So I'm not casting any aspersions and I'm not implying a thing. And in this case I'm wouldn't dare report rumor other than to note that the talk is out there and it's loud.

Thankfully, the killers of this couple have been arrested and are awaiting trial.

My only concern is that so many problems in the Latino Community go unmentioned. Of course we're comprised of many different social strata but at a very basic level we are a community (like many others) which struggles with drugs, gang violence, HIV/AIDS, a high drop out rate, diabetes, single motherhood, teen pregnancy, obesity and a predisposition to listen to horrible bands dressed up in glittery cowboy outfits. But refusing to talk about these problems won't make them go away.

As a kid I knew Tony Rios. You won't be surprised but the guy couldn't stand me. In his world I was sort of a nerd, a bigmouth and know it all and NOT the Juggernaut of the KC Internets the loyal readers of this blog know today. What I remember is that, unfortunately, the guy didn't have the widespread family support that marks the backers of Olivia Raya's Scholarship fund. For most of his life, the kid was on his own with only his grandma left to care for him. Sadly, tragic and violent deaths like the one he suffered aren't uncommon. Because of that, the work of the Olivia Raya Scholarship Fund is important but it's also important to express the reality of the news that so often goes unreported to other Latino youngsters who may be confronting the same challenges which face our community but sadly go unmentioned.

Triangulating light rail support is so much more complex than simply taking the bus

Here's a made-up headline: Citizens group urges KC council to repeal Chastain light rail election . . . I know people from KC and most of them really like Democracy. Question: Now, these aren't the same "citizens" that James Nutter SEEMED to pull out of nowhere in order to get a petition to thwart Clay Chastain's light rail . . . But now that The Star has proved to be nothing more than a PR machine on this topic, you can't really trust their reporting. My money is on the fact that these citizens are the same kind of people who are impressed by phone calls from reporters . . . Clay Chastain's light rail plan is stupid. The Star's light rail efforts are slimy.

BIG NEWS: KC lawyers accused of loaning money to judge get a slap on the wrist!!!

Judge Deborah Neal got prison time but allegedly crooked lawyers get a bad mark on their permanent record . . . The SUPREMACY at work in this case is a Kansas City tradition and will undoubtedly fuel speculation as to why this town STAYS SO CROOKED.

"Blunt's Eckersley Scandal, Day Three"

At first there was a lot of outrage about this scandal and now I'm think that people are just waiting for election day to give Blunt his walking papers.

Hockey fans prefer Kansas City

I don't think the Predators are coming to Kansas City because this (small media market) town has served as a bargaining chip so many times before . . . But it's interesting to note that a great many hockey fans would "rather see the Preds uproot and head out west than to see the league further dilute its talent pool by adding two more teams."

Mac Lethal is the Pat Boone of KC's Rap Scene and his hipster music is theft!!!

Unlike most music critics, I never believed that Elvis was mainly a product of cultural appropriation or some devious attempt to "steal" traditionally Black music. Elvis had his own, special kind of swagger - Who could really diss a guy who was banned below the waist at one point?!!! At heart I've always wanted to believe the style of Elvis was post-modern and deeply influenced by the secret racial/cultural intermingling of the South.

On the other hand, Pat Boone was just part of a marketing gimmick to take Black music and sell it to white middle-class teenagers. Sadly, THE SAME TACTIC OF CULTURAL APPROPRIATION IS AT WORK IN THE MUSIC OF MAC LETHAL AND HIS CATERING TO THE HIPSTER CROWD!!!

Let's be clear, hip-hop/rap music in its purest form is the product of African-American culture. A few Puerto Ricans helped out in certain sections of the Bronx but by-in-large hip-hop speaks to the lives and experience of Black people.

On the other hand, a Mac Lethal show is host to largely hipster fans, in mostly white venues and celebrated by a completely white media "alternative" structure. Remember that Eminem at least earned a lot of credibility by performing in predominantly African-American venues in Detroit and even Kid Rock found his voice by acknowledging the intermingling of groups like Run-DMC and Lynard Skynard in his music.

But Mac Lethal is pulling off nothing more than a heist as he steals a traditionally Black form of music and recycles it for a hipster crowd.

Even worse, Mac Lethal was recently quoted in an interview outright dissing KC rappers and mischaracterizing Kansas City's hip-hop community:

What’s the hip-hop scene in Kansas City like?

It’s a lot of gangsters. It’s a lot of Bay-area wannabe gangsters. Everyone is like, “Well, we live in the Midwest, so we get a little of the East Coast and a little of the West Coast and a little of the South...” No. Definitely not. We get Bay Area and Houston, Texas influence only in Kansas City.

And then there’s me and a bunch of other underground rappers. And I guess I’m an underground rapper.

And I’ll tell you one thing. You being from Austin – if you ask me if I like Austin barbecue better than Kansas City barbecue, you will get shot.

Disgusting. Yeah, Mac Lethal is going to shoot somebody. The guy has obviously been reading too many back issues of The Pitch from 2005. Really, I thought this kind of caricature interpretation of African-American culture went out in the days of the Amos and Andy Radio Show.

This take on KC rap completely ignores the work of guys like Reach or even other Kansas City hip-hop collectives like innate sounds.

This is not the way hip-hop in Kansas City looks no matter what the d-bags of the Pitch want to write:



Mac Lethal claims to be an underground artist but we've seen this kind of schtick before . . . Mac Lethal's music is Pat Boone, Vanilla Ice and every attempt to profit from another culture without embracing its people.

Members of the "Cauldron" cheer on the Wizards despite the lack of company

The Wizards don't have many fans but their few loyalists are EXTREMELY enthusiastic. A recent article from the LJ World explains: "The Wizards managed to attract only 11,586 per game in 2007. The pitiful crowds gave the team the unenviable distinction of being the worst draw in MLS." However, a group of diehards in sections 102 and 103 of Arrowhead Stadium known as "The Cauldron" keep things interesting. And that's really cool, but I still don't think we should build them a stadium.

Semler talk follows Mayor Funky

An advocate for Red Bridge Road reports that even on unrelated subjects the Semler controversy follows Mayor Funky as "The Elephant in The Room." Of course, the few remaining white people in South KC support the Mayor on the topic and that's cool, sadly I've always thought the Red Bridge Group would have even more leverage if they recruited a more diverse following . . . But in the end, it's good to see Red Bridge Folks keep fighting for their cause as this AWESOME LOCAL BLOGGER AND KC NEIGHBORHOOD ADVOCATE SUGGESTS: "Maybe the Mayor and his family should refrain from trips to their dacha in the Ozarks until we get things sorted out."

"BOB BARKER HAS MOVED ON. SHOULDN'T YOU?"

Harsh promo for a KSHB daytime talk show. Damn. Grandma, school skippers and the unemployed better watch or they'll be left behind and dead!!!

Vaguely bigoted blog post bashes largest Black political organization in Kansas City

I thought I would let this slide because it's not really important but once again I want to point out the attitudes that prevail in Mayor Funky's kitchen cabinet. Local blogger Dan does a nice job in suggesting that Freedom Inc. is basically a money making operation and again he calls for reform in a community that's not his own where he has no stake real stake . . . This kind of self-righteous labeling and name calling is the status quo among Funk supporters and accuses Freedom Inc. of greed when we know that ALL POLITICS IS RUN ON CASH AND THERE IS NO POLITICAL CONTINGENT ON THE PLANET THAT DOESN'T HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE SORDID TOPIC OF COIN. Politics is power and it's troubling to think that Mayor Funky's Bunch likes to cast aspersions on every community's motives without acknowledging that Funky's staff (nullus) is one of the highest paid in recent memory. Really, I KNOW this is a joke blog but it's also laughable that Funky supporters can't realize this kind of condescending attitude is why they have such little pull in KC's minority communities.

UPDATE: Here's another good post on the subject . . . Glorias Attack Dog Bites At Freedom On Behalf of Funkhouser

Goodbye Bob

Sad news to start the day . . . Robert Goulet, 'Camelot' Star, Dapper Singer, Dead at Age 73. Somehow the world seems just a little bit less smooth.

The TKC Halloween Costume Party!!!

Throughout my childhood, I didn't really care for Halloween as a holiday. I never grew accustomed to the concept of taking food from strangers and all the festivities really just seemed like a pain in the ass.

Contrastingly, my younger brother LOVED THE HOLIDAY as a kid. As a child he couldn't completely understand or explain it but when he grew older he told me that the holiday didn't seem to carry as much guilt as other yearly celebrations. X-mas and Easter were for Jesus. Thanksgiving was really about family, birthdays only marked the time until your eventual demise and the 4th of July is for America . . . He explained that only Halloween offers the opportunity for people to have fun without explanation and take the rare opportunity to be someone or something else.

My little brother was always brilliant.

To wit . . . If I ever got the cash together, TKC would like to throw a Halloween costume party among this town's politicos and popular media figures. If it was held on this Halloween, the following list represents who I would invite and the most appropriate costume they could wear:

- Darla Jaye is now the Queen of Kansas City's talk radio airwaves thanks in no small part to the current Semler controversy. In fact, she's so popular that she would have no trouble living up to another American icon: Ronald McDonald. Thankfully, she'd only have to apply a bit of extra makeup in order to mask her Italian-American (read: illegal immigrant) heritage but I'm sure she'd probably fill the big shoes with no problem. Really, I think she would be great to have at any party and her big, beautiful smile would fill the room when she wasn't accusing everyone of blackmail.

- Of course no Kansas City party is complete without Country Club Kay. I imagine her wearing the sexy Cabaret outfit featured here and maybe doing a little song and dance as if a tax increase was on the table. Her presence would lend a bit of class to the affair and I'm sure she'd show up as long as it was clear that somebody else was paying.

- Obviously, current Mayor Funky is one of the most sought after guests for any Kansas City party. He'd be the guest of honor at TKC's Halloween bash provided he dressed up in a Spock costume and explained the cold Vulcan logic involved in sticking to his "principles" despite the fact his controversial appointment to the Parks Board broke at least 3 major campaign promises and it's costing him the slim margin of support he had after a close election.

- More than anyone else I want Kathryn Shields at the TKC Halloween bash. Of course the Jabba costume is a prerequisite but I think she would wear it well and maybe it would inspire her to come up with some new and inventive ways to stay out of jail . . . Like maybe a barter: Her freedom for Han Solo's body frozen in carbonite. It could happen!!!

- Of course the most important thing about a Halloween party is that it MUST stay interesting . . . Inviting Chris Stigall really wouldn't help out on that front but it's always a good idea to have one dork around in case anybody needs a designated driver or somebody wants to pick a fight with a chump that can be beaten easily. Judging from the fact that 3/5ths of his blog posts are about TKC, I'm sure Stigall would attend my Halloween party. And he might even dress like Himmler, because I'm guessing that's the costume he wears at home on most weekday nights anyway. Scumbag Stigall = SS . . . There's a connection there and the guy also has an unhealthy and obsessive devotion to Sam Graves . . . So it would be great to have the dude at a TKC party if only to make sure the gathering was a model of efficiency and expediency.

- If Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders knows about this blog, then he probably doesn't ever risk wearing a black turtle neck sweater and just being himself . . . But at the TKC costume party, he could do just that!!!

- At parties it's hard to find somebody who actually knows what they're talking about when it comes to sports. For my money, Jack Harry is one of the few local sportscasters who wouldn't sell his soul for luxury press box accommodations AND actually knows a lot about the sports which he covers. The Duke Nuke'em costume does him justice not only because it compliments his haircut but also because Jack Harry kicks ass.

- I would be remiss if I didn't invite Frances Semler to my Halloween party. I would look forward to her presence but only if she showed up as a topless Bea Arthur. Believe me, if this broad is as feisty as she seems there's no way she would balk at a TKC invite.

- Unfortunately, as Mayor Funkhouser has learned, if you invite Frances Semler somewhere . . . The Minutemen will show up as well. They don't really need costumes but I am hoping they leave their guns at home.

- I'm sure by now you've guessed that you can't have the Minutemen at a party without Mexicans: They wouldn't have anybody to oppress!!! Clearly, the best disguise for any Mexican illegal immigrant on Halloween is that of a space alien . . . People tend to be a lot less afraid of space invaders than they are of mojados. The threat of world domination by people from another planet doesn't rank high on the list of fears for white people but the prospect of listening to Spanish on the radio or at a restaurant is downright frightening. TKC Party game: Have the Minutemen guard the door and see how many Mexicans still find their way in using the windows, ventilations ducts or posing as caterers.

- Jared Allen = One of the Geico cavemen? Tell me you can't see it! Also, I have to give the guy credit; he plays as if he's in some kind of primordial struggle for fire or food and shelter. Also, the guy is just damn entertaining to watch assuming he doesn't have access to car keys.

- I don't know how the logistics of this will work out but I'd like to invite light rail to my Halloween party. Of course everyone will disagree on the best directions to give light rail to the shin dig but in the end I'm sure light rail will find a way by simply using the bus and asking directions from the few people who actually use public transportation in Kansas City and know this town's streets better than anyone.

- Obviously I'm going to dress up for the TKC Halloween Costume Party as well. I'll probably just wear my Alfonso Bedoya costume from his role in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre . . . I've already go the hat and the rest of the costume is pretty much what I walk around in every day.

At this point, I notice that their aren't any Black people or many local KC residents of color at my party . . . That's not really an omission, actually I'm simply assuming that there's a better party planned which most of the folks at this one don't know about yet . . . So I'll probably just mingle a bit and then skip out to the much cooler affair that isn't completely dominated by politics, millionaire athletes, billionaire sports franchise owners, one tax increase after the next and a lot of bad decisions.

KANSAS CITY DINING SPECIALS!!!

Everyone needs help eating out (heh) and now a local website is here to help you find your way to the most affordable restaurant options in Kansas City. The site is the brainchild of local blogger Shane and a business partner. CHECK IT OUT and don't forget to tip your waitresses.

New blog: Midtown Miscreant

Yet another TKC commenter has set forth on a bloggy journey and I couldn't be happier. Please check out The Random Ramblings of a Midtown Miscreant . . . If the first post is any indication, the blog is going to be a great read by yet another middle-aged white dude that's often mistaken for a ghey. Still, good stuff and worth reading if local blogging is your bag, baby.

TKC salutes Mary Sanchez!!!

Later on today I may go to yet another meeting about the whole Semler controversy, if it doesn't get in the way of my nap . . . But lately I've been thinking about the voices in the mainstream media who have spoken out regarding this subject.

Nearly every columnist at The Star has filed an article about the controversy and Minuteman/Immigration opinions have dominated the talk radio airwaves.

Yet, for all of the talk and wasted words there have been few instances of media types advocating for the local Latino Community or, god forbid, on behalf of immigrants (undocumented or otherwise). The exception which points out the rule has been a very brave column by Barbra Shelly where she equates illegal immigration with jaywalking.

Nevertheless, TKC has always been a big fan of people speaking up for themselves. While there have been several Latino reporters doing some great work on the story, Latino commentators are few and far between. Sadly, Mary Sanchez is probably the most prominent Latina opinion-maker in Kansas City and her writing on the subject has been uninspired to say the least.

Let me prove my point . . .

As I've noted previously, throughout this entire controversy talk radio hosts have been on a rampage and have thrown one insult after the next toward Local Latinos and the National Council of La Raza. As is their right, they've used divisive rhetoric and taken calls from every suburban d-bag in the greater KC area who can't help but assert that Mayor Funkhouser is the greatest guy they can't vote for despite the fact that he's a self-proclaimed liberal with a barefoot wife that practices some strange form of voodoo or ritual communication with the spirit world.

Meanwhile Mary Sanchez has turned in a grand total of two milquetoast columns which do nothing more than apologize for brown people with opinions.

In her first piece (heh) the Pitch noted that she was "calm and thoughtful" which doesn't really do anyone any good but only helps to feed the columnist's ego.

A few weeks later, Sanchez spoke up a little bit more with all the excitement of a freshman term paper and wished for "calmer, better-informed voices" despite the fact that her colleagues were either vehemently singing the praises of the Minutemen or defending Mayor Funky with every keystroke.

Put simply, this hasn't been a debate which has relied on subtlety and in her role as one of the most prominent local Latina opinion columnists she has put the Latino community at a disadvantage with her mousy writing.



At this point, folks might argue one of two things:

1. 71 percent of Kansas City Hispanics don’t think Francis Semler should removed from the Park Board. This is just disinformation. Really, if this might mean that Mayor Funky's poll numbers could be higher than originally reported, I'll concede that but this poll is the furthest thing from the truth I've ever seen reported. My expertise: I've done community reporting in Latino neighborhoods for almost ten years. I've been to more than half a dozen community meetings at which people have spoken out against this appointment and my name has a lot more vowels than any of the white people who might prize this manufactured stat.

Really, I don't know where they dug up the Puerto Ricans who answered this question but I've talked with at least a dozen influential Latinos from big organizations (non-profit and businesses) around the City and they are ALL pretty peeved about the Semler appointment. Let's be clear: The Latino Leadership couldn't have made so many bold moves in this situation without a lot of consensus on their side. Are their dissenting opinions? Of course, but the impetus is on those people to make their voices heard and not supporters of the Minutemen or Mayor Funkhouser to actively seek them out and falsely proclaim them as any more authentic than those who disagree with bigoted rhetoric . . . In fact, the Mayor has already tried to use this divide and conquer tactic and it didn't do him much good and created a lot of problems for the people in question . . . In the end, Mayor Funky has resorted to bringing his Hispanic neighbor to meetings geared toward the Latino community and that is a better indication of his level of support among a segment of Kansas City voters who previously endorsed him with record numbers. Really, if there were many prominent opponents to the Semler debate in the Latino Community they've had more than ample time to make their voices heard . . . But that hasn't happened and if it did, these folks wouldn't have much credibility for long. What's more likely: Only white people are promoting this poll and those same people don't know much else about KC's Latino Community.

2. On the subject of representation some folks might say: "Mary Sanchez achieved her position (heh) through her own merit and she should not be beholden to any group simply because they share her same ethnicity."

Ah, if only we lived in a world that was so fair, cute and cuddly. The fact is, Mary Sanchez is the Star's window dressing when it comes to the Latino Community. There's nothing captivating about her writing and she is most likely the least provocative columnist in The Star's stable . . . Mind you, being a columnist in and of itself dictates that you must revel in controversy at least at some level and not simply plead for well reasoned (i.e. boring) ideas to prevail. Throughout the course of my (failed) writing career I've come into contact with Latinos who have slaved away in the news business for years without a substantial reward and people who were simply shut out of media because of their complexion. Because of the long history of Latinos being denied access to the mainstream media, Sanchez has an obligation to at least quote people from the Latino community rather than simply reacting like a coward (or a damsel in distress) when things get rough. If she wants to quote Latino dissenters, fine . . . Give them a chance to state their opinion but the fact is that for all intents and purposes Sanchez is a gatekeeper at The Star when the rest of the staff seems to be engaged in advocacy either for light rail or Mayor Funky.



Still, I know how hard it is to be caught in the middle (I once dated two fat woman at the same time).

Therefore I have to note that Sanchez has done an excellent job staying above the fray. While other minority columnists at The Star like Steve Penn and Lewis Diuguid have endured a bevy of pot shots while advocating for causes in the African-American community . . . Mary "Dirty" Sanchez is careful to shy away from controversy, urge Latinos to keep their voices down and revel in her token status. Sure, that's not a very inspiring strategy but it goes a long way toward keeping a writer clean of any controversy, well stocked in smart business suits and utterly forgettable in the minds of folks who really care about the Semler debate.

Blunt e-mail backlash continues

The Internets across the Show-Me State is abuzz regarding the Blunt deleted e-mail scandal.

Here are some links which tell the story:

An attorney (Scott Eckersley) fired by Gov. Matt Blunt’s office says he lost his job after challenging the administration’s stance on releasing e-mails to the public.

Ex-Blunt staffer raises questions about his firing

Blunt lawyer claims fired because questioned office handling of emails

A former attorney for Gov. Matt Blunt claims he was fired after raising questions about e-mail deletions in the governor's office, though Blunt's administration claims he was let go for poor performance and misusing state resources.

Blunt Fires Attorney for Informing Him That Martin and Others Are Breaking the Law

Personally, I believe almost every bad thing I read about Gov. Matt Blunt because he's a spoiled rich kid, he cut off A TON of people from Medicaid and he wants the Missouri State Highway Patrol to deport me because I have dark hair . . . And judging from his horribly low poll numbers, it's clear that most of Missouri is tired of the guy's song and dance as well.

Interesting aside: A bit of mudslinging over Eckersley's background seems to be the latest point of contention . . .

More detail has come out on the Scott Eckersley saga. Copies of his emails and the warrant for his arrest are showing up on blogs across the state. (A link would be nice.)

Internet Scumbags Attack Eckersley, Try to Intimidate the Media

My only question: Do people hate Mexicans so much that they would re-elect Gov. Blunt? The guy has half the state saying he might be breaking the law in addition to many folks criticizing his lack of progress when it comes to jobs, education and health care in Missouri . . . So, he's going to have to work REALLY hard in order to blame all Latinos for his shortcomings.

GRANDMA IS NOT GARBAGE!!!

The Star: KC man admits throwing 85-year-old woman into trash bin

Indy PD Drug Testing Concerns

Recently, I received an annony e-mail which really highlights the disconnect between the police force in Independence and their citizens. The e-mail contains a valid question but then again, you might remember from last year that the police in Independence don't exactly like to hear pointed remarks or anything resembling a complaint.

Here's the question:

I'm paranoid of the Independence Police Department so I don't want to raise any issues about them on the internet, but I'm wondering if at some point when you're reporting the Yvette Hayes incident, if you could pose the question of whether or not Independence cops are drug-tested for steroids? I'm pretty sure they're not, because they're all beefy and hostile, but I think they should be . . .

I have no idea whether or not the Indy PD is tested for steroids but I know for a fact that when folks consider their police department to be "beefy and hostile" it's not a good sign of decent community relations and the folks out that way might want to do some heavy lifting regarding the concerns of their constituents.

UMKC change up

Here's a bit of inside scoop from my Alma mater: John Amato recently resigned as Vice Chancellor for University Advancement. His resignation takes effect on October 31, 2007 . . . Spooooooky.

Here's the press release from the Chancellor on the subject:

John Amato has informed me of his intent to resign as Vice Chancellor for University Advancement, effective October 31, 2007.

I want to thank John for his contribution to the advancement of UMKC and ask that you join me in wishing him the best in his future endeavors.

I soon will be meeting with the University Advancement staff to discuss next steps for the division.

Guy Bailey

Now, here's the wordy announcement dating back to when the guy was initially hired:

UMKC names John Amato as Vice Chancellor, University Advancement

Infer what you'd like from this not so minor departure but the AWESOME TKC TIPSER who sent this my way believes that top level staff abandoning ship isn't a good sign for Chancellor Bailey's administration.

I think the phrase the guy used was: "typical tenure at Ghetto U." which actually makes me nostalgic for my college days.

Halloween time brings out wackos like paranormal investigators and neocons

There is no such thing as ghosts . . . Also, law is pretty much a myth too.

So, Jackson County isn't winning the war against drugs? You're kidding?

Hey, despite the fact (I've heard) that drugs are just as easy to get as they ever were doesn't mean that you should stop paying taxes to ensure that more poor people and minorities are put behind bars.

To wit, Mike Sanders is very smartly working to reorganize Jackson County's COMBAT program so it won't seem like yet another outdated County initiative when it comes time to vote on the thing again:

Jackson County should reorganize its 18-year-old COMBAT anti-drug program, appoint a director and replace the program’s existing commission, a panel recommended Monday.

The COMBAT Review Committee released a report to the Jackson County Legislature that says the sales-tax-supported program lacks focus, is sometimes inefficient and is not well understood.

County Executive Mike Sanders appointed the eight-member committee of community leaders in February to review the COMBAT program, which is funded from a quarter-cent sales tax that raises $14 million to $18 million annually. The tax, first approved in 1989, is subject to renewal every seven years and is due for voter action again in 2010.

Politically, it's an extremely savvy move given that over the history of the program the drug problem in Jackson County has become worse, then slightly better and now just about the same as always (as of late) only with more tooth decay because of Meth.

Illegal bow hunter kills Bambi in Shawnee

Shawnee Officer Finds Deer Killed Illegally

It's always cheaper to bypass Democracy OR Clay Chastain's stupidity is costing all of KC

DeAnn Smith reports: Ed Ford said today that if the council repeals the plan, the city stands to save $500,000 in this year's budget, because that's how much an election could cost. Looks like the folks at City Hall are scared, along with the Star that the silly proposal might hold up again . . . At this point I find the Star's meddling and activism more annoying that Chastain so I might even consider voting for the thing again just to screw with Ford and Mayor Funky's bunch who don't want to hear any voices but their own.

Present Mag's Priests of Pallas pics 2007

Present Magazine provides some beautiful photos of an elitist gathering over the weekend in Kansas City which you couldn't afford to attend in the first place . . . Still, it's for a good cause (???) So you can't be too bitter, I guess.

Here's a bit of background on the Priests of Pallas production which took place at Union Station:

The proceeds benefit the Jackson County Historical Society and the Westport Historical Society. The tradition continued on October 26, 2007 at Union Station with masks, vivid costumes, an Asian-themed performance from Quixotic and Vesuvius Fire Dancers at Kansas City’s original harvest festival ball.

Hummm, rich white people celebrating in Asian garb. That's interesting but I've seen it before . . . In fact, every time I take a look inside The Gap it's clear to me that I'm viewing people dressed in authentic Asian costumes which are hand crafted by Chinese toddlers. Double bonus: Nice to see Union Station has found a way to exploit Asian culture without using dead bodies of Chinese dissidents . . . I guess they're warming up.

KC's criminals and miscreants want to cook for you! Redemption is delicious OR Eat me!

Pay no attention to my stupid headline . . . The following was excerpted from a really informative article and about a fascinating local culinary program: "Culinary Cornerstones isn't like other cooking schools. It's operated by Episcopal Community Services in Kansas City, is housed in the Community Kitchen at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral and recruits students other programs never would consider -- people who have done time in prison or been homeless or suffer from significant emotional illness.

But it's more than that. 'It's about redemption,' said the Rev. Allen Ohlstein, a deacon who oversees the program. 'Plain and simple, that's the heart of Culinary Cornerstones.'"

Good time blogger

Local blogger Lynn has a great blog . . . She also had a busy weekend which resulted in quite a few AWESOME photos. Note: She hosts what is probably the most realistic and good looking photo of the Sprint Center I've seen since the propaganda started to build the thing years ago.

Best and worst list from a local conservative

LMC files a great post with a lot of links . . . TKC's best conservative news story of the Bush years: Cheney shooting a guy in the face while rumored to be drunk and then operating under "stop snitching" rules of conduct. Nice.

"Wild Oats on Johnson Drive is Closed!"

Reports of the closing of one of the metro area's most luxurious and well stocked health food stores may leave local veggies in a panicked state. Offer them a bacon cheeseburger.

Sadly, the only way to learn that racial profiling is wrong is by way of a lawsuit

There is no way to defend forcing an unarmed pregnant woman to the ground AT GUNPOINT on the side of a busy road. No matter her race, social standing, criminal record . . . Whatever. Folks who talk about respect for life in the abortion debate might want to look at this case and an example of local authorities not really caring about the fate of the child inside the woman's womb as she repeatedly pleaded to the officers to realize she was pregnant.

Sadly, we all pretty much know that she was in that sorry situation specifically because she was a Black female and society tends not to value their lives (or their babies) in direct contrast to the way that blanket TV coverage is given to every affluent, attractive white woman who turns up missing or breaks a nail. What's worse is that the Independence PD made a horribly incorrect judgment call about her identity when they racially profiled the metro principal and now it looks as if they're going to pay for the bad move.

In Missouri, racial profiling is only getting worse and it's important that people like this metro woman stand up for their rights and hopefully earn a hefty paycheck that will undoubtedly teach local police departments a lesson that not all Black people behind the wheel are suspects.

Luckily, it's obvious that this upstanding citizen and educator will take home some kind of settlement given that the actions of the folks who had her down on her stomach by the side of the road are pretty much indefensible.

Driving Dolores Huerta

Here's a bit of personal news on a recent press conference regarding Kansas City's never ending Semler Parks Board appointment controversy.

I was the driver for Dolores Huerta as she came to the Westside of Kansas City in order to speak out against Funkhouser's endorsement of the Minutemen.

Here's a bit of what she said:

"This organization is creating so much hatred and divisiveness in our communities,” she said of the Minuteman group. “These hysterical attacks on the immigrants, particularly people of color, have turned into discrimination against the whole Hispanic community.”

People have heard this message before and responded with even more bigoted attacks. But what rang true for me yesterday was that the side of this debate which opposes bigotry, that opposes racial profiling and acknowledges the human rights of all people despite their citizenship status is the only contingent with real moral clarity.

Patriotism and now Freedom of Speech are being offered as justifications of a reactionary, anti-Latino movement which has ultimately been defeated in California and now has retreated to the Midwest. But people (like myself) have said some pretty offensive things in the name of freedom of speech. It's an important principle and essential to our Democracy but that doesn't mean that any stupid thing someone writes or says has merit . . . At least that's what I've consistently taken from the comments on this blog.

Also, through the course of human history people have done some very frightening and ghastly things in the name of patriotism. Patriotism without principle, in the name of bigotry which encourages overall divisiveness in this country isn't really anything of which to be proud.

Sitting next to Dolores Huerta barreling down I-70 I realized why this woman is beloved and adored by so many. She's honest and speaks from the heart about what she believes in . . . Her faith guides her. In her company, I couldn't help but feel like a bit of a cretin. I make jokes, I've treated this controversy and so many others like nothing more than a game. Neither the suffering of immigrants nor the damage done to Mayor Funkhouser's administration matter to me of the face of my comments . . . It's the politics which has captivated TKC.

Yet Huerta means what she says, she has been honored time and again by so many faith communities and her opposition to the hateful, bigoted and reactionary supporters of the Minutemen really puts their motivation in perspective.

It was inspiring to listen to the words of Huerta. Speaking before the press and a significant contingent of Latinos (for a Sunday) it was clear that these people truly believed in the values for which they stand . . . And their position isn't really a political one but calls upon the devotion of people who believe in a Higher power.

It's just now that I've started to see this debate as a struggle for human rights and against the endorsement of Minutemen who put their agenda before the good of Kansas City and their fellow humankind. Their claims of handing out sippy cups of water to immigrants ring hollow when it's clear that unsanctioned armed patrols, virulent anti-Latino rhetoric and reactionary political chest thumping is what attracts supporters to the Minutemen.

Really, being in close proximity to such a legendary Latina Civil Rights Leader made me want to to rethink my own detached cynicism, misogyny, personal attacks on politicos and members of the media and even the satirical nature of TKC itself.

In the end, it's faith, honesty, commitment and respect for all of human kind which are most often the attributes of the best people on this planet.

TKC's jokes can't compare with real leadership.

But then again, this blog would be really boring without bikini photos and my whimsical musings about the relative worth of bitches, hos and white women of all sorts.

Rock on.

New blog: CaptainKCMO!!!

You've seen the guy in the comments around this dump and a few other places. Now he's got his own blog. Check it out!!!