Yearly Archives: 2011
Hovick: Guilty as Charged But at What Price?
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The jury got it right…
21-year-old Simon Angilda was found guilty as charged.
He will more than likely spend the rest of his life in prison for the crimes he committed.
I predicted that outcome last week.
I never thought it should have gone to court in the first place.
Tony: One More Kansas City Snow Day
In this modern age of near digital miracles there’s no longer a need to even look out the window in order to see that it’s snowing.
There’s a near avalanche of weather news in the mainstream media – TV Newscasts and Radio reports of every aspect of the snow.
Already I’ve seen cars sliding on the roads and, of course, the roads to the suburbs looking pretty much like a parking lot. The sea of red brake lights looks ominous coming through the HD television screen. However, few television journalists note that these people deserve every bit of the hardship that comes with suburban life, given their decision to live as far away from people of color as possible.
Makes me think they’re scumbags.
STARBEAMS: Kit Bond Bridge musings; chicken condoms and KC zoo thermography
Am I the only person who drives across the Kit Bond bridge and wonders, "How in the world can you turn this into a giant harp?
Scientists say they’ve developed a chicken that won’t spread disease.
Basically, it’s a regular chicken, but it wears a condom on its pecker.
OTC: KK Makes Meche Of Pitcher’s Retirement
“To watch Gil Meche just completely turn his back on the Royals’ organization for the final two-and-a-half years of a five-year contract to me is unacceptable.”Kevin Kietzman, after the Royals announced Tuesday that their former ace will retire from MLB immediately, 810 AM
GH: Kietzman began his rant on Meche by saying his comments were not personal. That is not how they came off to this listener. KK sounded bitter, jealous and flat angry that Meche would choose to end his career instead of struggling through another season or two. Almost no one else in the media whom I read or heard agreed with Kietzman. Read on.
“I respect that he did it at this time of year.”
Jeff Montgomery, former Royals’ reliever, 810 AM
Jeff Montgomery, former Royals’ reliever, 810 AM
“I’m not gonna knock Meche for this. I’m gonna give him credit for not just wanting the money. Kudos to him. He doesn’t think he can be an effective player so he’s moving on.”
Nick Wright, 610 AM
Nick Wright, 610 AM
“I don’t think he walked away cheap. I don’t think you’re owed $12.4 million and you’re three weeks away from spring training and you walk away with (only) a million.”
Kevin Kietzman, 810 AM
GH: This is where KK screwed up. He did no research or reporting on this topic. He simply went KK on it – which can be defined as passionately making a point that uses copious amounts of bitterness and untruths. It makes for good radio but it’s damn hard on your credibility. He was quickly corrected by members of his staff. Read on.
Starbeams: Oh Great, Here Come the Royals, Gates & MLK Funeral Protest.
There was so much mourning over Martin Luther King Jr. yesterday members of the Westboro Baptist Church were bummed they weren’t around to protest his funeral. .
I believe the dream for racial equality has finally been reached. The other day I saw a white guy working in the kitchen at Gates BBQ.
I know it seems early but Royals Fan Fest is this Friday and Saturday….
Glazer: How to Strike it Rich on the Super Bowl & Why Not to
One often hears that the bookies lost a bundle on an upset game…
Not true
60 Minutes
interviewed a heavy duty gambler this past week, the the show explained that the sports books in Vegas or Atlantic City never lose. I’ll explain how it works.
Hearne: Vinyl Renaissance to the Rescue, Streetside Saved!
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Just like that, a bold plan was hatched, a savior realized…
Streetside Records in Westport will go the way of the 8 Track Tape at 6 p.m. Sunday. But there’s a new fat lady’s in town and she’s ready to start to singing
Vinyl Renaissance – a used music store at 10922 Shawnee Mission Parkway is slated to reopen a music and audio store in the space now-operated by Streetside (formerly Pennylane) sometime in the near future, sources say. The exact plans – including what to name it – have yet to be sorted out, says one Vinyl Renaissance staffer who confirmed the move. But VR will remain in its current location in Shawnee and operate Streetside as well, the staffer says.
Hearne: Streetside Records in Westport Closing Sunday, Savior in the Wings
Drop everything, grab your money and get thee to a record store…
Post haste. Streetside Records in Westport to be exact. Because the Save Streetside campaign on Facebook is history. The store as you know it will close at 6 p.m. this Sunday for all time Think end of an era..
Just one thing…
The King may be dead, but long live the King, sources say.
OTC: Mizzou Pressleys K-State Into Panic Mode / KU Rocks Baylor
“We know Kansas State just had a bad game. We know they’re better than that.”Gary Link, after Mizzou’s 75-59 win over the Wildcats, 810 AM
GH: That is a very, very large question. Is K-State better than what this or simply not nearly as good as was expected? Read on.
“They just flat out don’t have the players. … That was painful to watch. This is not a basketball team. This is a collection of athletes. Maybe we should stop talking about Frank’s coaching and start talking about his recruiting.”
Shan Shariff, 610 AM
Shan Shariff, 610 AM
“Losing (at Mizzou) is no bad mark. But playing this way is. They looked soft. They gave up offensive rebounds on free throws, let the ball be ripped out of their hands, and only Jordan Henriquez-Roberts played with consistent energy. … At least four times (Martin) called his team young or otherwise referred to a need for the players to get tougher. For a team that starts two seniors in a program built on toughness, there aren’t many bigger insults.”
Sam Mellinger, Kansas City Star
Today: Star Layoffs Delayed?
Hmmmm..
Three weeks into KC Star department heads being informed of the need for cutbacks and/or layoffs, still no hit list. Since the paper normally scheds the plank walkings at the beginning of a pay period – which would have been Monday but for MLK Day – today would have been the expected day.
But so far, so good, says a source.
Meaning what? The Monday after next?
Stay tuned.
Tony: The Star Stops Covering Daily Local Politics And Nobody Cares
There’s been an interesting move by the so-called paper-of-record online that signals an end of an era recently.
The Kansas City Star is scaling back their daily political coverage to an unprecedented degree.
The story of The Star’s "Prime Buzz" is a parable that spells out the doom of the dead tree media in the digital era.
Let’s take a look at their ongoing FAIL, shall we?
Today: Star Layoffs/Cutbacks Update & Cautious KU Elves
First let’s wonder aloud about the recently announced layoffs and or cutbacks at the Kansas City Star...
Department heads were told of the coming cuts three weeks back, so the deed could go down any day.Like tomorrow, Tuesday. That’s because the newspaper tends to lower the boom at the beginning of a pay period. Last Friday being payday and today being a holiday – Martin Luther King Day – Tuesday could be Blues Day.
Remember, cutbacks and/or layoffs are triggered at McClatchy when quarterly targets are not met.
So while the Star more than likely made money – radio advertising and retail sales were all up – remember, this is an ailing industry. Print circulation and readership continue to spiral downwards and this is a trend a healthier economy cannot unto itself cure.
Yes, an end to this recession would lift all boasts, but as former Star publisher Art Brisbane noted two years back, when the dot com recession went away, the Star‘s bottom line improved but classified advertising did not come back. And some of the newspaper’s largest remaining advertisers – grocery stores and car dealers – all continue to look and find more contemporary and cost effective ways to reach their target audiences.
And while the Star boasts of the readers it reaches online, unfortunately that’s not where the all-important big profits are.
All that said, my hunch is this round of cuts won’t be a big one.
Glazer: WTF! MLK but not JFK?
I was watching a special about black athletes this past weekend…
About how far they’d come since Martin Luther King Jr was killed. The answer was odd.
"Do you know that there are more black males in prison, than in college today," Spike Lee said. Nearly 70% of all male inmates are black with nearly 5 million men in prison today.
While black athletes are well paid – averaging well over $1 million a year in the NBA and NFL – most are bankrupt or broke two to five years after their careers end. That’s 80% in NFL and 65% in the NBA.
Not good.
This made me think, "What did King really accomplish for black people?"
Donnelly: SKC Ticket Sales Booming; USMNT coming to KC?
Sometimes it’s hard to keep a secret. Especially when that secret will probably put hundreds of thousands of dollars into your pocket and offer the kind of pub money can’t buy…
So why bother, right?
In a recent interview with MLSSoccer.com, Sporting KC president Robb Heineman made some interesting comments about the business side of the club, including what seemed to be an unintentional slip-up indicating that the US Men’s National Team will be playing a game at the new stadium in June as part of the Gold Cup.
But first, the business stuff…
OTC: Is Nick Right For KC Or Simply Niche Wright?
“First of all, (Jamaal Charles) has come an amazing way in interviews. An amazing way! He’s still not great but he’s much better.”Nick Wright, 610 AM
GH: Some would say Wright might want to put in the same effort as Charles at improving his interview technique. I would be one of those. Wright’s radio work comes off at times as lazy. He meanders from topic to topic, even in midsentence. He often relishes dissing his 610 cohorts or faceless production crew in place of humor. It’s train-wreck radio that draws a niche audience but is sliding into irrelevance in the Kansas City market.
Car: Support Our Troops. No Really.
It’s time for a reality check in the automotive world…
Past time, actually. For years automotive journalists have deluded the public by ignoring the realities of energy consumption. As in gas mileage. Oh, they’ve known better.
Car magazines grudgingly began putting a bit of emphasis on fuel consumption during the gas crunches of the late 70s. No way did they want to piss off advertisers – most of whom manufacture the gas guzzlers this country in known around the world for. But when you could barely even buy the gas, they had to do something. That emphasis on mileage has long since gone the way of the dinosaur. With rare exception.
The other day I passed a massive SUV with one of those Support Our Troops bumper stickers on the back.
How ironic.
New Jack City: Movie Pricing—You Better Shop Around!
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Local marketing maven Tracy Thomas recently told me one of her friends paid $12 for a Friday afternoon showing of TRUE GRIT at AMC Town Center.
The performance apparently started shortly after the theatre’s magic 4:00 p.m. matinee cut-off hour.
Frankly I questioned it. Had to have been a mistake.
But after digging around K.C.’s latest ticket pricing, I believe she was correct.
Tony: Top 5 Photographers Online In This Town
During this digital age of transformation in local media some things are staying the same.
Sure, the tools to create amazing images are at the fingertips of almost everyone for just a few hundred bucks. However, few people really take advantage of any tech beyond a snapshot and a post to their Facebook gallery.
So, while technology and the Internet offer great potential to aspiring local photographers, only a few have risen to the top.
Let’s take a look at their work:
Jennifer: Forget the New Year’s Rez, Life List the Way to Go
I used to be that person who wrote down New Year’s Resolutions every year…
Sometimes I’d seal them in an envelope and open it on New Year’s Day the following year. Some of my resolutions had been forgotten, some unfulfilled and others were a success. All in all, I was experiencing the same pressure and disappointments as millions of other Americans who try to reinvent and better their lives every year.
The thing is, I’ve really never done things like everyone else. So why was I conforming to this ridiculous routine?
