Friday, July 31, 2009

Local Kansas City Nightclub Told to BE QUIET!!


One of Kansas City's best neighborhood nightclubs, The Brooksider, was told by neighbors that they were just too damn loud on Friday nights. The Brooksider, known for hosting some of Kansas City's Best Bands, has been a brookside / waldo hotspot for many years.

It seems to us that a new neighbor must have moved in recently and started complaining. I mean, The Brooksider has been playing loud music on Friday nights for as long as I can remember - so the complainer must be a newbie to the neighborhood.

Either way this totally sucks!

Kansas City Weather - AWESOME!


Man, I hope you guys are out enjoying this awesome weather. Played 27 holes yesterday - but had to work today.

Found a really cool webcam today that has a nice view of a field that often has deer running around in it - in case you are one of the poor folks trapped inside at work on a nice day you can log in and have a nice view of the outside and take a little break.

Here's the site: Nature Webcam

What have we gained from NASA and the space program?

As I see yet another space shuttle being prepared for launch, I wonder to myself "What exactly have we gained from NASA and space exploration in general?" I mean, where have the billions and billions of tax dollars gone? Aren't there better things to be spending our time and resources on? So I decided to investigate.

Not to age myself, but the first thing that came to mind was Tang. I remember my parents pumping that sugar filled, tangerine tasting, home made version of orange drink down my throat as a kid. Then they would wonder why I was so hyper. Then I thought about velcro. A great invention that made the necissity for teaching a kid how to tie his own shoes obsolete. Then I got to cell phones. Ya know? That piece of technology no one can seem to get behind the wheel of a car without nowadays.

And that is where my list ended. Maybe I am not as smart as I would like to think I am. So, this being 2009, of course, I decided to google what we have gained. To be honest, I was fairly shocked and felt quite ignorant. Keep in mind, some inventions and luxuries we take for granted are an ancillary repurcussion. So without further a due:

-Anything run off a satellite (phones, televisions, military, weather, etc...)
-This thing you are on right now, the internet (enough said)
-GPS
-Long life batteries
-Digital anything
-Self contained breathing apparatus (i.e. what is used by firefighers and scubadivers)
-Solar Power (which I think we would all agree we have just touched the tip of what it will d0)
-Shock Absorbant Materials
-Smaller computers (do remember the original?)
-Medical Research
-CD's and DVD's


...and the list goes on. More importantly, what has this done for the world economy. Think in a larger scope. Think about how many companies have been created due to the small list of achievements above. How many people these industries employee. How many products and services have been created and brought to the public as a result.

All in all, I am still not a huge fan of the space program thinking about how many tax dollars have been pumped into it. However, I have to admit that I was very suprised by what I found and I do believe it has had a very positive impact on society. So if you have the same point of view I do, think about what might be gained by shooting a group of scholars out of earth's atmosphere on a gigantic bottle rocket and how it might be the invention of the next cell phone or laptop computer. They have had a fairly large impact on our society.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Self Extinguishing Cigarettes - Yuck.

Well, they snuck them in on us - the awful - stale tasting "self extinguishing cigarettes".

It started in Kansas - of course - when I bought my first pack of these nasty bastards I thought that I just got a really stale pack. Then my brother told me about the new law about self extinguishing cigarettes.

I immediately started buying up as many cartons in good old Missouri as fast as I could, knowing that the awful new cigarettes would soon be stocked in Missouri. I was too late - now they're the only kind of cigs you can get.

I only hope that whatever they added to the cigarettes is not any more toxic than what's already in cigarettes to begin with.

Oh well - maybe another reason to finally quit.

Anyone know what's actually IN these things?

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Walter Cronkite is buried in my back yard!

I was on the golf course the other day and someone said "Hey! Did you know that Walter Cronkite is buried in your back yard?". I said "No" and then waited for the punch line...

No, it was no joke - they buried Walter Cronkite in a cemetery that backs right up to my back yard in good old Kansas City, Missouri.

Kansas City has a strange way of staying in the national news.

Are you a "Swiper"? How do you tip the valet?

I wonder how many people who rely on tips as their main source of income are affected by the fact that hardly anyone carries cash with them any more.

I was pulling up to valet my car the other day at The Intercontinental Hotel - our favorite evening spot - and realized that I didn't have a tip for the valet. I simply don't have much use for cash any more. I swipe my card for pretty much everything that I buy.

I am usually a big tipper, but sometimes I don't have time to find an ATM machine and get cash for tips.

Lame blog topic I know - I just thought that it was something interesting to think about.

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Kansas City is the Number 1 Abandoned City in the USA


Forges Magazine has recently voted Kansas City the Number 1 Abandoned City in the USA.  The writer mentions that our vacancy is up to 15% in our city's buildings. He does not, however, mention the main reason why.

Here is why - In the last 5 years or so everyone has blown the Power and Light District WAY out of proportion. Real estate agents and building contractors were running around frantically buying up all of the property that surrounds the P&L in the hopes that they will get a piece of the action. They built WAY too many condos for starters.

Well I've got news for you. Kansas City is NOT a wealthy singles town. The only people who would consider living in one of those overpriced condos by the Power and Light would be single people, gay people, and retired couples. Kansas City just doesn't have enough people in that demographic to fill up all of those overpriced condos. What I mean is, Kansas City is an old fashioned Midwest-style "we like to eat a lot and go to the movies and watch crappy network television" kind of town - for the most part. Kansas City was built around families and fat people who like to live in houses and apartments in the suburbs and make babies - NOT live in expensive CONDOS downtown.

The Power and Light District is a joke in itself - have you ever actually BEEN down there? Let's just say it's not where the "cool" people hang out. The people who go down there look like they all just got off a bus from Grain Valley or something. There is no doubt that most of the folks who frequent the P&L district are from the sticks. Why do you think that the biggest thing going down there right now is friggin' "Country Music Night" ? What a joke. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah - folks visiting from the sticks are not going to buy a $450,000 condo - and the people who would buy a $450,000 condo aren't going to want to live next to a tourist attraction for hillbillies.

Kansas City being voted the number 1 abandoned city comes as no surprise to this Kansas City news writer.

Anyway, here is the article written by Forbes...

America's Abandoned Cities
Kansas City Tops List of Abandoned Cities in the Country
By ZACK O'MALLEY GREENBURG
Forbes.com
July 25, 2009


The big news in Kansas City is the Chiefs' off-season acquisition of quarterback Matt Cassel. Filling in for injured superstar Tom Brady in New England last season, Cassel became a starter for the first time since his senior year of high school.
File Photo. The downtown Kansas City, Mo. skyline is reflected in the Missouri River at dusk Oct 15, 2008.


The downtown Kansas City, Mo. skyline is reflected in the Missouri River at dusk Oct 15, 2008 in this file photo. In the past year, rental vacancy rates rose in Kansas City from 11.9 percent to 15 percent and homeowner vacancy rates nearly doubled, up from 2.1 percent to 3.8 percent.


When trading for a backup quarterback is cause for citywide celebration, it's a sign of a metropolis starving for good news--and perhaps an indicator that other troubles are afoot.


Indeed, the Kansas City metro area tops our list of America's Abandoned Cities. In Kansas City, rental vacancy rates rose from 11.9% to 15% over the past year; homeowner vacancy rates nearly doubled, up from 2.1% to 3.8%. Comparatively, the average homeowner vacancy rate in the country's 75 largest metro areas improved slightly from 3% to 2.7%, while the rental vacancy rate edged up to 10.2% from 10% a year ago.


Kansas City isn't the only metro where rental and homeowner vacancy rates are rising in tandem. Second on our list is the San Francisco-Oakland metro, where high prices are pushing Bay Area residents out of the region. Third is Tucson, Ariz., where the aftermath of the housing boom has left a glut of inventory. The pair's predicament illustrates both sides of the vacancy coin.

Friday, July 24, 2009

tipping...

good question

Why Don't Minorities Tip Well?


If you've ever worked as a server / waiter / waitress in any kansas city restaurants you might be aware that most minority groups do not usually tip well.

Why is this?

I wonder if it's because the bulk of the industry's servers are white and the minorities feel like the white people owe them something.

But no matter what the reason, it is a FACT that minorities don't tip well or don't tip at all - ask any waitress in town.

Anyone have any answers?

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

New Authors - Don't Be Shy!


For all of you who have recently been invited to blog on this page as official authors - get blogging!

You don't have to worry about looking cool or talking about the latest news or anything - blog about anything you want guys - seriously.

Only a select few authors were chosen so it's not a spam page or anything - just a place for important Kansas City people to express themselves.

Do it. Do it.

Kansas City News

Monday, July 20, 2009

Shuttle Crew Marks Apollo 11 With Spacewalk

A pair of Endeavour astronauts will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing with a 6.5 hour space jaunt.


Astronauts' Monday schedule shows that life in the space program ranges from the sublime to the mundane—even on the same day. NASA crews plan a spacewalk to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing; they also have to fix a broken toilet.

Space shuttle Endeavour crewmembers awoke this morning to the theme from the 1960s TV show "The Thunderbirds." Later today, astronauts Dave Wolf and Tom Marshburn will begin a scheduled six and a half hour spacewalk outside the vehicle.

40 years ago Monday, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the lunar surface. He was followed by Eagle lunar lander crewmate Buzz Aldrin, while pilot Michael Collins circled overhead in the Columbia command module.

While Wolf and Marshburn space walk, International Space Station residents Gennady Padalka and Frank DeWinne will work to repair the Waste Hygiene Compartment toilet in the space station's Destiny laboratory. The system's dose pump, which delivers chemicals that separate liquids from solid waste, failed after running for about 15 minutes on Sunday.

Endeavour lifted off last Wednesday after a series of delays caused by faulty equipment and inclement weather.

STS-127, as the mission is called, is a 16-day roundtrip voyage that will see the Endeavour crew work to complete construction of Japan's Kibo space laboratory. The astronauts will add a porch-like platform to the lab's exterior that will allow experiments to be exposed to the vacuum of outer space.

Endeavour crewmember Tim Kopra will remain on the space station while ISS flight engineer Koichi Wakata returns home on the shuttle after a four month stint aboard the ISS.

Trinidad & Tobago now murder capital of the Caribbean

SPEYSIDE, Tobago — With a steady rise in violent crime including an alarming increase in homicides, Trinidad and Tobago has overtaken Jamaica as the “murder capital of the Caribbean”.
While homicides increased two percent in Jamaica in 2008, murders were up a staggering 38 percent in Trinidad and Tobago.
Although much of the violence is gang-related, in recent years tourists have increasingly become targets for robbery, sexual assault and murder.
In October 2008, a Swedish couple was chopped to death in their hotel room in Tobago.
Just 10 days later in Tobago, two British females were robbed and sexually assaulted by a bandit who forced his way into their holiday apartment.
Travel warnings
The U.S. and the UK issued travel advisories warning travelers about increasing violence and the failure of police in Tobago to apprehend and prosecute criminals.
“You should be aware that there are high levels of violent crime, especially shootings and kidnappings,” states a travel advisory issued by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office in October 2008. “British nationals have been victims of violent attacks, particularly in Tobago where law enforcement is weak.”
A U.S. travel advisory issued about the same time warns travelers that armed robbers have been trailing tourists as they depart international airports in Trinidad and Tobago.
“Violent crimes, including assault, kidnapping for ransom, sexual assault and murder, have involved foreign residents and tourists (and) incidents have been reported involving armed robbers trailing arriving passengers from the airport and accosting them in remote areas…the perpetrators of many of these crimes have not been arrested.”
Highest crime rates
According to the Economist, the English-speaking Caribbean, which extends from the Bahamas in the north to Trinidad & Tobago in the south, averages 30 murders per 100,000 inhabitants per year, one of the highest rates in the world.
By comparison, the murder rate in both Canada and the UK is about two per 100,000.
With 550 homicides in 2008, Trinidad and Tobago has a rate of about 55 murders per 100,000 making it the most dangerous country in the Caribbean and one of the most dangerous in the world.
The rate of assaults, robbery, kidnapping and rape in Trinidad and Tobago is also among the highest in the world.
According to a report issued by the United States State Department, gang-related homicides and other crimes will continue to increase in Trinidad and Tobago in 2009 and 2010.

Kansas City News

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Kansas City Concerts - Some You've Heard of, Some You Haven't

Here are some upcoming Kansas City concert announcements - some you've heard, some you haven't
clipped from www.kansascity.com

Tickets on sale | Rob Thomas to perform Oct. 29 at the Midland

On sale Friday

Rob Thomas, Midland, Oct. 29. $31.25-$86.25

On sale Saturday

Clutch, Beaumont Club, Oct. 1. $20

On sale now

Chris Isaak, tonight, VooDoo Lounge at Harrah’s Casino. $55-$70

Sonic Youth, July 18, Uptown. $26

Incubus, July 19, City Market. $34

Yallapalooza 2009, with Pat Green, John Joiner Band, Matt Stillwall and more; July 18, Sandstone. $20-$35

Neko Case, July 19, Uptown. $25

Def Leppard with Poison and Cheap Trick, July 21, Sprint Center. $39-$125

Conquer and Curse Tour with Abigail Williams, July 20, Riot Room. $11

Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival, featuring Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Bullet for My Valentine, Trivium and eight other bands, July 21, Sandstone. $45-$55

Demi Lovato, with David Archuleta, July 22, Sprint Center. $39.50-$49.50

 blog it

Royals LIVE crew interviewed at the new Kauffman Stadium

Did you know that the first organist for the Kansas City Royals started with The Kansas City "A's" and then The Kansas City "Monarchs" and finally The Kansas City Royals. His name was Harry Jenks - great uncle of local Kansas City producer Adam Blue.
clipped from www.kansascity.com

A night at the ballpark with the crew of “Royals Live”

You are Joel Goldberg.

Seventeen years ago, you were just a kid cheering your hometown Philadelphia Phillies to victory in the 1980 World Series. That was about the time when you discovered the pleasures of turning down the volume on the TV set and calling the game yourself in the voice of Harry Kalas, the Phillies’ legendary play-by-play announcer.

Fast forward to 2007. You are now in the same business as Harry Kalas, covering major league baseball for a living.

Joel Goldberg (right) formed a quick partnership with Jamie Quirk, his new sidekick this season on the “Royals Live” pre-game and post-game shows. “He knows the game so well,” Goldberg says.

Joel Goldberg (right) formed a quick partnership with Jamie Quirk, his new sidekick this season on the “Royals Live” pre-game and post-game shows. “He knows the game so well,” Goldberg says.

You’re not a play-by-play man like Kalas (mostly you do interviews and report on- and off-the-field activities of the St. Louis Cardinals), and the Cardinals aren’t the Phillies (but they are the defending world champions).

 blog it

Tommy Watson - Still King of The Greens - Tiger Who?

Good old Kansas City boy Tom Watson is lighting it up on the British Open - Kansas City pride baby!
clipped from www.kansascity.com

Watson still out front at an amazing British Open

Tom Watson looked around at the amazing scene Saturday, his eyes tearing up a bit as all the Scottish fans surrounding the 18th green toasted one of golf's greatest champions.

He might just have another title in him - this one for the ages.

In a repeat of the British Open's throwback theme, Watson shot a 1-over 71 that kept the 59-year-old out front heading to the final round at blustery Turnberry, where the scores kept going up but the ol' guy never faltered.

Three years shy of qualifying for Social Security and playing on a surgically replaced left hip that's less than a year old, Watson showed the kids how it's done. He pulled off several brilliant par saves, played it safe when he needed to and shook off a stretch of bogeys that briefly cost him the lead.

"That's been the game plan," Watson said. "I'm pretty close to it."

At the end, pure magic for the second day in a row.

 blog it

Walter Cronkite goes the distance - we lost him at 92

National news reporter Walter Cronkite left us on Friday night...
clipped from www.kansascity.com

News legend Walter Cronkite, 92, dies

Walter Cronkite, whose warm, personal style helped define the television news and earned him the title of “most trusted man in America,” died Friday night in his New York home surrounded by family. He was 92.

As the anchor of the “CBS Evening News” from 1962 to 1981, Cronkite was much more than the country’s most-watched newscaster. He became a reassuring interpreter of the events that roiled America and the world, from civil rights unrest to the Vietnam War to Watergate to the hostage crisis in Iran.

He also became a national icon. His signoff, “That’s the way it is,” was added to the lexicon of American popular culture. So was “Uncle Walter.”



“I always have been concerned about the idolatry” of people on TV, Walter Cronkite said.

File photo

“I always have been concerned about the idolatry” of people on TV, Walter Cronkite said.

 blog it

New Parking Meter System for Kansas City

Nice little parking meter machines that will keep track of your vehicle - what a treat!
clipped from blogkc.com

KCMO testing “Pay and Display” parking Downtown

Curbside parking in Downtown is getting modernized.  The city is now testing Pay and Display parking stations. The system, widely used in other cities, replaces individual parking meters with pay stations that print a receipt for motorists to display on the dashboard.  Pay and Display reduces costs by using one machine to service many parking spots. It also increases compliance with parking laws by eliminating the situation where people take advantage of meters with time remaining. The new machines also increase convenience for motorists by taking credit cards.

Photo by KC Star

Photo by KC Star

The new system is currently being testing on Grand Boulevard and Walnut Street, between 11th and 12th Streets.

 blog it

Friday, July 17, 2009

Here's Something You Didn't Know - Musician Salaries

Think that there are only two ways to go in the music business - UP or DOWN - think again after reading this!

http://kansascitybands.com

professional-musicians-kansas-cityThere is a common misconception among us that being a professional musician can mean only one of two things:

Either you make it big and become a star

Or you suffer through a life of poverty (thus the term “starving artist” may come into play)

This is simply NOT TRUE.  There is a HUGE “middle ground” out there for professional musicians.  I know for a fact that there are at least 10 professional musicians in Kansas City who make over $250,000 per year.  Yeah, let THAT sink in for a minute.  You may not have heard of these guys – band leaders who play for corporate events (corporate events usually pay the top bands in Kansas City around $4000 per show – and sometimes the show only lasts about 20 minutes) – there are also a few local bands that make at least $3500 per show MINIMUM.  One of those bands that comes to mind only has 3 members – you do the math.

 blog it

Monday, July 13, 2009

Tony Gonzalez Announces That He Will Retire As A Kansas City Chief

Tony Gonzalez to retire as a Kansas City Chief in the NFL Hall of Fame - KCMB Kansas City News Exclusive

Tony Gonzalez announced today that he would be retiring as a Kansas City Chief. Tony was recently traded to The Atlanta Falcons for a second round draft pick - which was an extremely questionable trade - and will report to Falcons training camp in a few weeks.

At a recent fundraiser hosted by "Shadow Buddies", a charity group that Gonzalez helped found and operate, Tony announced to the eager crowd that he would officially retire as a Kansas City Chief. This is an exclusive KCMB News story, as they were at the event and videotaped Tony's heartfelt speech (see video below). The Chiefs fans in attendance cheered when he told us this news, and we now know that when Tony is eventually inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame, it will be as a representative of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Gonzalez gave away several pieces of memorabilia including his last autographed football, which he presented to the Official Band of The Kansas City Chiefs, "The KC All Stars" (pictured above at the event with Tony) who he mentions and thanks in the video. Tony Gonzalez played for Kansas City from 1997-2008 and was hoping to win at least one NFL Playoff Game before he would retire. He has failed to do that in KC and will now try his luck in Atlanta. He will wear number 88 in Atlanta as he did with The Chiefs, however it will be the Chiefs who will lay permanent claim on Gonzalez when he is added to the list of the best NFL players in history at Canton.



Tony Gonzalez to retire a Kansas City Chief in the Hall of Fame by KCMB Kansas City News
Kansas City News site is now optimized to receive mobile posts.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Kansas City News Site is Born!


Finally, a Kansas City news blog with NO BIAS whatsoever. Please feel free to post any news about Kansas City you like :)

We welcome all comments.

Thank you,

The Kansas City News Team

DISCLAIMER

This is a legally confirmed "open forum" website that is not responsible for any content posted within. The opinions, articles and comments on this site do not reflect the opinions of the owner of this site, or it's subsidiaries.