The TKC Saturday Night Playlist!!! Holiday Depression and a very Hard Candy X-mas in Kansas City!!!

The TKC Saturday Night Playlist!!! Holiday Depression and a very Hard Candy X-mas in Kansas City!!!

During harsh economic times there are always a great many people who claim to know what they're talking about when it comes to matters related to high finance.

However, the fact I find interesting is that pundits are no longer debating whether or not the U.S. Economy is in recession . . . Instead, a great deal of political chatter relates to comparisons of the current financial climate to the Great Depression.

Here's some of the most insightful political writing I've seen on the subject recently:

Helen Thomas: "It's a depression" (I think she might know since she was in her 40's during the Great Depression)

WSJ: The Krugman Recipe for Depression . . . Massive government spending is no solution to unemployment.

George F. Will: "Same Old New Deal?"

The thing of it is, political debate regarding economic turmoil is pretty much useless. In the grand scheme of things media people don't have much money and their insights (as always) have more to do with pushing an agenda. Important numbers, data and indicators are always overlooked in favor of meaningless world views and principles that never hold up under scrutiny.

Of course, I'm broke and the economic outlook of this nation doesn't really matter to a dude living in a basement. But what I do notice is that middle-class white people are scared. Also, from what I see . . . Downtown's Renaissance never really happened despite massive taxpayer funded spending; condo dwellers are calling it quits daily, layoffs are now commonplace and bar & restaurant closings are regularly appearing in local headlines.

Of course news anchors still have to smile so some of this information gets overlooked by timid souls who may not want to see the similarities between current U.S. economic troubles and the "Lost Decade" Japan endured not long ago.

I guess it's much easier just to keep on lying to people, hope for a quick recovery and celebrate upswings in a volatile market like a hyperactive puppy.

Meanwhile . . . People make due and struggle to get ahead in much the same way that people have always done since the beginning of time.



I've always contended that harsh economic times make women a little bit more "accessible" and much more likely to chase some endeavor that involves being ho whether that's advertising or actually working the pole at a strip club.



Then again, it's important to remember that the (real) monied class (not middle) rarely sees any direct impact of economic turmoil and there are actually quite a few bargains to be had in terms of people, places and things going for cheaper prices.

Sadly, politicos are probably the worst off when a real recession rolls in . . . Blaming a predecessor only works for so long until the public realizes that nearly all elected officials are powerless beyond their ability to self-promote. During long term harsh times new candidates with a better sales pitch are regularly voted in and then subsequently replaced in a seemingly endless cycle of the electorate looking to blame their horrible lives on somebody else . . . And somehow, I think this phenomenon is exceedingly appropriate and somewhat exacerbated by the Holiday Season and new year.

To wit, all of this money talk has inspired me to link some free music on the subject of financial crisis, holiday depression and hard luck. Enjoy:

Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley

Hard Candy Christmas - Dolly Parton

Paid In Full - Eric B. and Rakim

Money (that's what I want) - Beatles

Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant

Po'Folks - Nappy Roots

The World is a Ghetto - War

Material Girl - Madonna

Please come home for Christmas - The Eagles

Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) - Darlene Love



Still, it's not as gloomy as it seems . . . Unless we're talking just about the financial news. Then it really does suck but there's not much any single d-bag on the Internets can do about it.

So, as always, thank you for reading and have a safe and fun weekend.

"Evil Won"

Nick Sloan just posted a nice reaction to the somewhat surprising conclusion of this year's "Border War" that's still much nicer and more entertaining than other ethnic and political conflicts sharing the same name.

New blog: Boner in Sweatpants!!!

Not what you think!!! I totally thought this blog was spam when it turned up in my e-mail inbox (NO HOMO!!!) However, it's simply the work of a local personal fitness trainer, and it's pretty entertaining. Check it out.

Kansas City Blogger Guest Worker Program

Local blog May's Machete has been posting a FANTASTIC SERIES REGARDING RACISM ON HER BLOG and she recently asked me to participate.

Here's my take on Kansas City racism toward Latinos.

The post was not only fun to write but also a bit of a learning experience i.e. I feel justified in being EVEN MORE RESENTFUL TOWARD WHITE PEOPLE who aren't busty bikini models.

A special thanks to May for giving me the opportunity to take my pro-mojado stance to yet another venue!!!

Kansas City Drive-by of the day

NBC Action News: "A Kansas City man was in the hospital Saturday morning after being shot in his side during a drive-by. Police say the gunman took off, and remains on the loose."

Suburban bank robbed with something besides a pen, smile and a suit

KCTV5 posts surveillance images of a masked man suspected of robbing a Lee's Summit, Mo., bank.

TKC EXCLUSIVE!!! MAYOR FUNKY BOOED AT X-MAS TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY!!!

C'mon TV Newsies!!!

I know that the Mayor's X-mas Tree Fund is a wonderful cause . . . But "holiday cheer" B.S. and a misguided sense of charity shouldn't stop reporters from documenting facts related to the public appearance of an elected official.

TKC ATTENDED THE MAYOR'S X-MAS TREE LIGHTING AND QUITE A FEW PEOPLE BOOED THE MAYOR AS HE WAS INTRODUCED!!!

It's on tape, newsies from around the metro area must have recorded the sound but they obviously refused to cover this angle of the story and are keeping the public misinformed while playing gatekeeper.

However, in the reporting there's a hint that the crowd was almost half of what it was last year when it was much colder. Media spin wants to blame the failure of the X-mas tree on former Mayor Barnes . . . Nevertheless, it's a fact that at least four volunteers that I'm aware of quit their involvement with the Mayor's X-mas tree Fund last year because of Gloria Squitiro's meddling.

It doesn't matter what media watchers believe . . . I was simply surprised that I wasn't the only person in the crowd booing and the silly argument that Mayor Funky is besieged by nothing but admirers whenever he appears in public was put to rest last night. A great many in the crowd obviously weren't supporting the Mayor that's suing the city and focusing on his wife's feet while this town struggles through a budget crisis.

On the streets of Kansas City, it was abundantly clear to me that Mayor Funky's popular support is tenuous at best and people in Kansas City are quickly overcoming their stereotypical Midwestern politeness in order to express their displeasure with our Co-Mayor.

KANSAS CITY GIRL SCOUT CUTBACKS!!!

Truly, times are tough when even local Girl Scouts are forced to make massive cutbacks to the programs they provide. A recent story from Time.com is even more depressing because it involves taking ponies away from the Girl Scouts along with news that November National Cookie Month was kind of a bust. It could be time for a Girl Scout bailout . . . Which I wouldn't be opposed to altogether not only because they deserve it more than loan shark banks gambling on risky mortgages but also I think there might be some delicious thin mints in it for everybody.

KC Tribune takes on the KCPD

A brilliant article by local community reporting great Tom Bogdon laments accurate stat reporting this year by the KCPD. Money line: "Kansas City, Kan., was ranked as No. 42. But Kansas City, Missouri wasn't ranked at all due to missing data. In other words, Kansas City failed to report."

Odds are: Chiefs victory won't change much

The online bookies are favoring the Chiefs for some silly reason . . . I'm not so confident about naive commentary regarding the team's improvement which has yet to result in a victory. Still, the team does have a knack over the years for removing themselves from a decent draft position.

Update: Strangely, I notice that betting websites sometimes offer far more balanced coverage than hometown media.

Don't dare think that the global economic crisis hasn't spread to Kansas City!!!

I don't know why but local media love to portray this cowtown as some kind of island of prosperity.

Nothing could be further from reality.

Local TV news keeps reporting lame job fairs but the fact remains that competition for any kind of decent employment (unrelated to porn) is at an all time high. A quick article from the KC biz journal clearly demonstrates local job seeking despair:

"We have white-collar and blue-collar workers in the system," said Clyde McQueen, director of the Full Employment Council. "I’ve been through about four of these down trends in the past, and it was always more isolated into one sector or another. This one is hitting everywhere."

Bob Marcusse, CEO of the Kansas City Area Development Council, said the organization is watching unemployment numbers closely.

"Kansas City is certainly not immune to what is happening nationally and internationally,"

So while lazy media is desperately trying sell the notion that we've hit bottom . . . It's good to see that there are experts in town who can clearly analyze cold, hard employment data and dispel overly optimistic reporting . . . Like the misguided notion that the U.S. has won in Iraq.

"Killer white dude on the loose"

RDM provides an excellent profile of a suspected killer of a lady in a Shawnee Apartment.

CLAY COUNTY CUTBACK CRISIS!!!

Things are rough all over as local governments around the metro area find striking similarities in shared financial peril. The Star reports: "The impact of the continued economic downturn, coupled with sluggish sales tax revenue, will have a significant effect on the Clay County operating budget proposed for 2009, county officials said this week."

I, Shane and Australia

A Kansas City blogger provides a comprehensive review of a movie that I'm casually dismissing as a chick flick.

Kansas City Weekend Links Out Loud

Here's what I'm reading today regarding conflicts both real and imagined:

Hey, d-bags . . . Help Harvesters while hurting your liver today at the border war.

Present Magazine takes a peek at "Dialog in the Dark."

This nation can no longer afford to fund second rate schools, teams, students and lame mascots: Less money is now available to Kansas State students.

Big media teaches that tragedy doesn't matter until it strikes close to home: Kansas Citians knew slain couple at Jewish center in India

Or maybe local insight is exactly what's needed: Indian Americans in KC Struggle with Events in Mumbai

Harsh times means that we can all learn next to stinky homeless people: Local Libraries Flourish In Weak Economy

Sports Newsie Nick Sloan makes an interesting prediction.

Golden Ghetto Works Smarter: Work already getting under way on Johnson County Education Research Triangle

The Star prints a big pipe dream about Blue River being cleaner.

Photo galleries get no better than images of a busty blonde woman and a boom box!!!

College Radio Newsie Profiles

A couple of KCUR interns are profiled in an interesting line-up of aspiring radio newsies who either have rich parents or have been woefully uneducated about the current job market in this field (like most j-school students).

Here's what the Westside looks like to white people: Unique with no zoning enforcement for ugly houses

A blog entitled "Pictures of Buildings and People" provides some interesting photos of where the White people live on the Westside. Cool houses but without mention that they're only a 2 minute walk away from projects and scary brown people like myself . . . I guess gentrification is in the eye of the beholder. Still the photos are nice and I guess yuppies living anywhere in the urban core is cause for celebration even if these same folks currently walk around frustrated because they can't flip their overpriced property.

Kansas City Star keeps readers in the dark about Black Friday and the economy

Everybody loves good news.

Good news is great for business. It's also good for ad sales.

It doesn't have to be correct, it just has to be snappy and full of convincing photos.

Today, The Kansas City Star is trying to convince people that Black Friday went well with almost no hard numbers and a few photos obviously employing wide angles and a great deal of photoshopping (No great sin considering that all newspapers doctor photos as well).

Here is the company line: "Black Friday shoppers turn out early to hunt down bargains"

Luckily, there's a bit of truth in that headline given that the afternoon saw a great many Kansas City stores turn into an empty wasteland.

Sadly, only KCTV 5 had the courage to part from consumer propaganda and actually talk to people shopping:

"Crowds Die Down At Stores By Lunchtime"

Once again, The Star and so many other media outlets dropped their objectivity in order to push an agenda.

Remember that the d-bags at The Star's business section missed the clear warning signs of the greatest economic crisis since the great depression and predicted "resiliency" at the beginning of this year . . . And for that, I don't really feel sorry for the business reporters who were fired.

The Star trumpeted the opening of The Sprint Center right across the street and waited months before mentioning the lack of an anchor tenant or the surrounding property crime during events or even acknowledging Kansas City's heavy tax burden.

The Star went along with fantasy Obama crowd numbers without even making an attempt to note that estimates were unverified.

The Star lauded the opening of the P&L District but only Abouhalkah notes the financial fiasco while the biz section has so-far only given passing coverage to the death toll of surrounding bars and restaurants the place has caused. In fact, most media outlets stupidly expected the District to spark economic development when the real world impact has been just the opposite.

Today, The Star is also reporting "historic" point gains in the stock market while ignoring the difference in percentages and the fact that a recent rally is mostly inspired by massive government intervention and is probably one of many "bear traps" which are part of any economy in decline.

So feel free to believe the fake economic news published by the so-called "Paper of Record" despite their long history of embarrassing mistakes. On the other hand, people lucky enough to still have a bit of cash might want to second guess media folks who are pushing an agenda and supporting their fellow neighbors getting tax breaks rather than reporting any kind of objective facts related to the local economy.

Kansas City School Board Members congratulate themselves!!!

I almost couldn't believe it when the link came my way . . . It defies all logic and merits some kind of real explanation beyond the silly text contained in the post.

Check it:

As We See It: KC School District moving in the right direction

By Marilyn Simmons and Arthur Benson

Metro parents with students in the district might have to laugh so they don't cry.

Read the nonsense yourself because it really isn't worth quoting.

THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS CLAIM THAT MEANINGLESS "PRINCIPLES" AND BETTER UNDERSTANDING MARK THE PROGRESS OF KC SCHOOLS WITHOUT CITING ONE BIT OF DATA REGARDING THEIR SO-CALLED ACHIEVEMENT!!!

Here are just a few facts regarding the district:

Teachers in the Kansas City School District are STILL without a contract. The School District has failed to negotiate in good faith and increasingly alienates the Teacher's Union.

Ever year more families abandon the District every year given continually decreasing enrollment stats and the KCMSD is widely known as a major weak point when selling Kansas City.

Word around the campfire is that KC Schools have become increasingly violent and instances of assaults and theft seem more commonplace according to a few local teachers who claim there is an overall atmosphere of chaos in the vicinity of the last, few remaining big schools in KC Proper.

Upcoming plans to sell KCMSD buildings are most likely going to be contentious and filled with accusations of corruption . . . It's not going to be pretty and this scandal could claim a few political careers.

A great many people in Kansas City are hoping, praying, wishing for a State Takeover of the School District so this long-term local failure can finally come to an end.

The press release printed by The Star might be one of the craziest things related to local schools I've ever read and does not demonstrate any kind of progress but rather the grand delusion of a couple of School Board Members.

Getting a hold of KC evening links

Here's some of the links I'm looking at this evening:

Lee's Summit Teacher Killed in Rollover Accident

Celebrate another under-attended KC homeless event!!!

Good stuff: The Gone Mild Kansas City Shopping Guide.

The most obnoxious fans in the metro are staying put for the moment: MU, KU To Play At Arrowhead Through 2012

I'm pretty sure Jennifer Ellison and her huge boobs are sending subliminal messages in a recent photo shoot.

Old school Kansas City concerts earn praise

NBC Action news claims that Kansas City is becoming a concert powerhouse of sorts and it edging out St. Louis in terms of ticket sales between the Sprint Center and the Pollstar center . . . 207,203 vs 187,791 respectively. Still, STL makes better use of its smaller venues, has more up and coming acts and completely "pwnz" this town when it comes to outdoor festivals. On the bright side, Kansas City is much better at bringing in the higher grossing old school acts of the 80's . . . So KC gets more cash but remains less relevant - Which isn't a horrible trade off.

The Call covers Mayor Funky's actions regarding Council Member Circo and questions his judgment

A great article from Eric Wesson . . . Some tough questions about Mayor Funky's judgment. I like the title: "Saying One Thing And Doing Another"

TKC BREAKING NEWS!!! PETA PROTEST WILL TP JACK STACK!!!

On Monday, Plaza patrons will notice a bit of toilet humor from local PETA peeps. And while I think ruining somebody's expensive Plaza meal is a poopy thing to do . . . I'm proud to be the first super-important-and-awesome media outlet to release this "news."

Also, I have to admit it's kind of clever:

Here are the details from their press release:

PETA TO TP LOCAL STEAKHOUSE

Leaflets Printed on Toilet Paper Give Meat-Eaters Food for Thought . . .

Lunchtime diners at Jack Stack on Monday will receive some surprising "food for thought" from PETA. The group—led by a protester in a cow costume—will hand out sheets of toilet paper bearing the message, "Slaughterhouses are so filthy that feces are found on almost every piece of meat—wipe cruelty from your diet."

PETA's point? That the E. coli and other bacteria abundant in the meat that people eat are derived from feces in filthy slaughterhouses. Because of this, Men's Health named beef, chicken, and turkey among its "10 Foods You Should Never Eat." Tens of millions of pounds of beef were recalled because of E. coli contamination in 2007 alone, and 70 percent of foodborne illnesses are directly linked to meat consumption.

Says PETA Vice President Dan Mathews, "Chances are good that unless you choose vegetarian, you're eating the 'poo poo platter.'"

The toilet paper protest will take place at Jack Stack Steakhouse, 101 W. 22nd St., Kansas City . . . Monday, December 1, 12 noon.

Asian dude yelling at Starbucks customers was the star of the Plaza lighting ceremony!

Let's start off with a little reality first . . .

Local PR people are claiming that there were 250k people at the Plaza Lighting Ceremony last night and that's pretty much a complete lie that's repeated by the media every year without question.

Then there's lazy reporting regarding how much energy is really wasted. This year, only the KC Tribune has raised any real questions about the environmental impact of the Plaza Lights.

Speaking of wasted energy . . . Fox 4 is still trying promote David Cook in one of his last moves before the long journey into obscurity or Kansas City trivia. Apparently, Cook can not only sing throaty ballads but also take part in happy-go lucky ceremonies that mostly serve to waste electricity.

But Cook's fading star was no match for a true Kansas City original!!!

I've talked to a couple of people who also took notice of the guy and I think we may have a new local celebrity.

As most people know, restroom availability during the Plaza Lighting Ceremony is always at a premium. Most of the shops are closed and the Starbucks near the stage is really the only place to take a leak . . . The struggling coffee outlet was somewhat prepared and hired additional staff to deal with the onslaught of cheap folks who didn't want any coffee but only to drop trou . . . The loud, angry Asian dude was in charge of the door for the night and greeted Plaza Starbucks customers with:

YOU WANT COFFEE OR BATHROOM!?!?!

I heard one 50-something dude respond: "Both"

To this, the expert doorman Asian dude replied:

"WHICH ONE FIRST?!!!"

I don't know if it's Starbucks policy to check on the bodily functions of their customers but this guy did it at least half a dozen times from what I witnessed. Clearly, it was a classy scene at The Plaza coffee place . . . I wondered if the Asian dude was only there to play off minority customers but it seemed that his shtick crossed all kinds of demographic barriers and I guess his purpose was merely to form two separate lines.

Nevertheless, this kind of customer service is noteworthy and I'm happy to report the guy wasn't even that phased when I told him: "Why, do you want to hold it for me?" in response to his question about what fluid I would be dealing with first.

For better or worse . . . The night belonged to the angry Asian dude yelling at people at Starbucks because everything else was simply an annual Kansas City cliché.

Black Friday in Kansas City is a bust!!!

TKC TIPSTERS are e-mailing bad news with a quickness this morning . . .

So far, typical Black Friday hangouts are underperforming according ground level observations:

A Northland Wal-Mart that usually draws a line in the early morning hours barely has anybody in the parking lot right now.

Reports from the Sears in Antioch Center and Metcalf South say that foot traffic is sparse.

Two phone calls to TKC claim that Oak Park Mall is A LOT LESS CROWDED THAN LAST YEAR!!!

Not really a Black Friday hangout but I went to the Plaza this morning and there's really nobody shopping up a storm out that way . . .

I'm sure local TV stations will find excited people to show on camera . . . But the story from people who aren't selling anything is much different as Kansas City area shoppers are the first to declare Black Friday a bust.

I don't believe in MSM, I just believe in me

I'm not bragging . . .

I know this isn't the most important story in the world or even in the KC area.

It's just a fact that close Kansas City News watchers saw it coming first by reading TKC.

While I should write something obnoxious like:

EVEN ON A SLOW NEWS DAY TKC BEATS THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA!!!

I know that's not really true and the only reason for most of the bluster of this blog is because I've heard that it annoys humorless newsies to no end.

Nevertheless, when I saw a story about a KC based Beatles video . . . I couldn't help but sense something familiar:

OP Man Sells Beatles Film For $6,500

Not a bad story . . . And there was an exclusive interview.

Still, TKC showed it to readers from a UK news site while it was still developing:

Long, lost Kansas City Beatles video resurfaces after 44 years!!!

On October 28th no less.

Then TKC linked another Brit news story regarding the sale of the film earlier this month on November 6th:

Sold: "The one and only motion picture in existence of the one and only concert the Beatles would ever perform in Kansas City."

So yeah, that feeling of déjà vu that close news watchers get . . . Sometimes TKC is the inspiration of that sensation (no homo).

And it's not like I contend that blogs will ever replace mainstream news outlets . . . It's just that . . . More often than anybody cares to think . . . People are noticing less of a difference.

Kansas City Mid-Morning Link Focus

I'm not looking at anything earth shattering this morning (thankfully) but here are a few Kansas City Links that have caught my attention:

The KC Star finds hope in questionable stats from another dead tree publication: Newspaper featuring KC's most wanted leads to 90 arrests since inception

Kansas City complaining dude makes sure his house will burn to the ground in the event of a fire: "Firefighters are on duty, even when shopping at Hen House"

Star headline: "Foreign students experience a KC Thanksgiving" I didn't read the story (as usual) but I'm guessing they were racially profiled and then shot by their former friends or lovers.

Charity can wait: More than 4,000 homes lost power Thursday morning in eastern Jackson County, delaying the start of Thanksgiving preparations for many.

Could you spare a square? Ottawa Woman Gives Birth on Bathroom Floor

Scary Power Toll Show Me State Drama via RDM.

Finally, a few Keeley Hazell photos in support of underarm spray or something are worth a click, I guess.

Suspicious Death in Shawnee

The Star reports: Shawnee police are investigating the suspicious death of a woman found in her apartment late Thursday night.

A bit more "Black Friday" Perspective

RDM asks the Kansas City blogger question of the day ripped from the local headlines: "Was it worth the busted head you got when you got ran over in the parking lot at Walmart in Lee’s Summit?"

TKC on your mobile!!! Kansas City bloggers should do the same!!!

Back when the Mayor and his crew blocked this site . . . That fact worried me for about a half a second.

Then I realized that technology made this feeble gesture nothing more than an indication that Mayor Funky and his people didn't know what they were doing . . . They still don't but now more people agree with this fact than I could have ever hoped.

Anyhoo . . . The point here is that TKC is now taking this bloggy thing to mobile devices everywhere!!!

Check out the new cell phone compatible version of this page created (in about two minutes) with the help of MoFuse.

TKC MOBILE, HELLZ YEAH!!!

Mind you, this is 2005 technology but this year it's free and available to any blogger who is prepared to sign up for yet another online service.

MoFuse is actually very awesome and it requires no effort whatsoever, just an RSS or ATOM feed. MoFuse has earned pretty decent reviews and so far it seems to be working for me and the two people I know rich enough to have cell phones that do this kind of thing.

Thing of it is: THIS IS THE FUTURE OF NEWS DELIVERY!!!

Nobody is going to wait for a newspaper to deliver coverage or even tune into TV when the content they want is available to them (FOR FREE) right in their pocket.

Look at every coffee shop, mall or airport . . . PEOPLE ARE CHECKING CELL PHONES AND HANDHELDS NON-STOP BUT RARELY STOP TO WATCH TV AND NEVER READ THE PAPER ANYMORE!!!

Local bloggers who want to deliver their content to bored and obsessive cell phone and handheld device users should seriously thing about MoFuse. I'm not getting a dime from them but I do like their service and can plainly see that digital content delivery is moving past the PC on to mobile devices and leaving old media paradigms far behind.

Eric Bowers and his Kansas City Flickr

This guy is one of the most talented photogs working in Kansas City and his Flickr page provides some amazing images . . . (No current Plaza Lights photos, because every d-bag with a cell phone is now uploading those to the web)

Westport Hipsters craving carbs are in luck

The Star reports that Westport's Napoleon Bakery is reopening with a new owner . . . Meanwhile, I won't even pretend to understand this story and I don't really have any real understanding of how rich white people make a huge production out of eating expensive bread.

Kansas City Chiefs fan cuts loose on the Internets: "I'm gonna wear this fucking bag over my head until we win a game."

Adam from Arrowhead Addict produces what could be the definitive Chiefs Youtube video of the year.

There are a lot of great lines in the video but I put the money quote in the headline of this post. However, this Internets video from a local blogger clearly illustrates the frustration of local fans far better than any sportscaster or columnist ever could.

Black Friday Backfires in Kansas City

It's kind of disappointing watching the local news shill for corporate chain stores just because they happen to be in the metro area.

On the subject of the economy, most media invariably shows the bias inherent in advertising supported journalism sometime at the direct behest of their corporate sponsors. Big media needs big business to do well for no other reason than ad revenue. Even if I did take ad money (Google still owes me $37.50) I doubt I would ever care which big retailer went bankrupt . . . Mostly because I'm bad person.

In fact, I would be remiss if I didn't point out that this is National Buy Nothing Day!!!

Again, I don't care enough about any cause (other than my own) to support an economic, political or social stance . . . Or at least I've never thought that any cause was more important than poon-tang. But the point here is that all this talk about "Black Friday" merely represents a frighteningly out of touch mass media created reality. If there was real objectivity in reporting than media wouldn't care that Kansas City's economy is in the toilet and they'd simply report facts. Sadly, that'll happen about as soon as good-looking white women gone missing stop making headlines even if they're just taking an extraordinarily long time in the bathroom.

Also, it's worth pointing out that banking on Black Friday to make up for bad financial fundamentals is a really bad idea. Just about every economic indicator reveals that the U.S. economy isn't headed for a rebound any time soon and the saccharine, overly confident news coverage is simply nothing more than sponsored content. To wit, a bikini photo gallery of Jessica White (irony?) is the only way I'll be celebrating Black Friday today.

Like so much else of what people mistakenly call news . . . It's a scam and a lie and doesn't have much more credibility that the average blog.

So feel free to keep on maxing out credit cards because a trusted media outlet said everything was going to be alright. Just don't expect so-called "superior mainstream journalism ethics" or sexy smiling newsy faces on TV to help with the bill.

Happy Thanksgiving, d-bags!!!

I don't do sentimental . . . In fact, whenever another man gets the least bit introspective in my proximity I always ask him if his uterus is okay.

It's not that I'm ungrateful . . . It's just that I don't care if anyone thinks I'm ungrateful.

With so many people killed in this town, so many jobs lost and two wars still underway with a rookie politician at the helm of this nation . . . I think anyone not in any immediate turmoil should feel lucky.

And so what if our Mayor has way more in common with Caligula on a foot fetish bender than anybody would care to imagine?

There is a lot to be thankful for . . . To start with, I'm glad that there are more than a few folks reading this blog who love to correct my work and add their own, far more insightful, commentary. Also, the only real hope for change that I have comes from the fact that we live in such an amazing technological age when nearly anyone can harness the power of the Shamwow! Finally, the fact that we're not dealing with terrorist attacks today like the folks in Mumbai should make us all very, very thankful.

So, as always, thank you for reading, and please try to enjoy this holiday safely.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING KANSAS CITY!!!

GREAT NEW BLOG: FUKCED CITY.COM!!!

I was lucky enough to find a great new blog on this holiday.

Even the title is clever and captures the current mood of this city perfectly:

FuKCed City . . . NICE!!!

The photoshop work from this local blog is not only excellent but also hilarious.

Somehow, these bastards even found a way into my basement hideout!!!

I'm looking forward to great things from this awesome new, local blog offering . . . And what they've got so far is a must read.

Bannister Mall Before Demolition

A dude from the KC Rag forum posted some great photos from inside Bannister Mall.

The place looks haunting, depressing and dangerous.

The only thing scarier than this amazing set of urban exploring photos is that Kansas City is going to provide A HUGE SUPER-TIF DURING A GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS in a scheme to redevelop the area on behalf of a soccer team with one of the lowest attendance records in the league.

Tragic Curtain Call for Kansas City Actor

We're approaching the end of the year and local murders continue to rise.

Neither local government nor a great many community leaders seem to have a solution.

And with every passing day we see that violence in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area impacts everyone in and around this town in spite of racial or class boundaries which serve only to create a false sense of security.

The tragic murder of a local actor is just another sad sign of this area's constant struggle to address the problem of local violence and murder.

Actor Peter Fopeano shot to death in KCK

A local blogger knew the victim of the homicide and writes an insightful post on the topic:

Fate's Thoughts: Another KC Shooting

Awash in Kansas City Thanksgiving Links

Here are some of the best newsy links I'm reading today:

THE FIX IS IN . . . MORE SCHOOL BOARD APPLICANTS MYSTERIOUSLY APPEAR AS KANSAS CITY WAITS TO SEE HOW MARILYN SIMMONS GAMES THE SYSTEM (AGAIN)!!!

Russ Ptacek of NBC Action News proves that shopping mall consumers are mostly crooks with hidden cam video!!!

This story is supposed to make you feel happy and not angry at the kind of people who would report such tripe: Spirit of Thanksgiving Alive Across the Metro

More regs for loan sharks: Ordinance sets restrictions on KCK payday loan shops

Free to beg again: Homeless Man Jailed For 3 Years Acquitted

NEVER TRUST ANYTHING THAT'S WRITTEN ON THE INTERNETS!!!

Poor, young person in for a life misery if she remains so thoughtful: 5-Year-Old Finds, Returns $7K At Kansas Goodwill

Crook lawyer forced to pay for a change: Attorney ordered to pay widow $560,000 in investment scheme

Equality at gun point: Young Girls Kill Deer On First Hunt

Powerful Problems: The troubled Kansas City, Kan., Board of Public Utilities is facing millions of dollars in fines for violating federal clean air laws, a federal spokesman said Wednesday.

AP Round-up of Funky trouble at City Hall

Par for the course as Kansas City homicide count continues to creep upward: KC man shot to death on sister's front porch

KANSAS CITY IS FULL CRUEL TURKEYS!!!

KCTV5: Thief Steals Woman's Thanksgiving Turkey . . . I don't like wishing anyone harm, but Karma dictates that there is a real risk that the guy might choke on it. On the other than, I wonder how much a "hot" turkey might run for . . .?