One Trick Tony? A Voice Becomes a Single Note.
A commenter on Tony's Kansas City today called him "One Trick Tony" and speculated "What will Monday morning's baseless attack on Funkhouser be about?". While the comment seems a little harsh, it did raise an interesting question. While Tony used to be a site that was notable for its varying content, it has evolved into a one-stop shop for reliably negative commentary on one pet subject - Mayor Mark Funkhouser.
I did a little quick tallying, and it appears that Tony has posted 26 separate posts attacking Mayor Funkhouser in 24 days he has posted so far this month. That's more than one a day. He's also attacked Mark's wife 7 times, and even attacked his child.
There's nothing inherently wrong with Tony's obsession. Blogs exist with all sorts of single-minded purposes. I used to contribute to one devoted to Matt Blunt, but I think we all grew bored with the constant negativity. But there are blogs devoted to knitting, to cats, to roses, and, now, one devoted to hatred of our Mayor.
One of the funniest notes in the month by Tony was his claim that he was "every bit as rough with [Kay Barnes'] administration". Out of curiosity, I checked out what he was writing during this month of last year. Oddly enough, Kay Barnes received only 7 mentions in July of '06. And none of them rose to the level of bile that Tony has been dishing day in and day out toward Mayor Funkhouser.
It can be difficult, as a blogger, to come up with something to write about. Tony has apparently found his subject, just as Boswell found Johnson. He might not be as interesting or unpredictable as he once was, but he certainly is reliable. What will Tony's Funkhouser attack be about tomorrow, and which member of the family will he go after?
Labels: blogging, funkhouser
posted by Dan at 7/29/2007 08:30:00 PM
58 Comments:
Oh God, I know I'm going to sound like I'm defending TKC when I'm not. At All.
And I'm really a Funk supporter - in the sense that when you see a friend about to walk off a cliff YOU YELL AT HIM AND YOU TELL HIM HE"S WALKING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.
People all around this town are talking about the Funk, and in a negative way. Moderate folks. Funk folks. I was in Bistro 303 two weeks ago and heard some gay, non-voting folks talking about Funk, in a negative way.
And do you know why? It's because Funk gives them a reason to talk. Funk is behaving like the male, geeky, dorky equivalent of Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton. Everybody's waiting to see what he or his team will do next. Really, put Funk, Gloria, Tara and Joe Miller together and you've literally got a Funkhilton.
And, all the while his defenders complain that people are nitpicky, biased, hate the Funk, etc. So the Funk keeps on doing what he's doing, and everybody else keeps on talking about the Funk, in a negative way.
And Dan, I know you and everybody else working on behalf of the Funk will think, if not say, I'm just another small minded person. That mainstream is just a Brooks supporter in sheep's clothing.
So Dan, I'll give you a little hint: call Tom McDonnell, and ask him what he thinks about Funk's performance. No need to get back to us, just call him, and ask him in confidence what he thinks.
Awesome post. I'm in favor of all posts about me.
However, I'd be remiss if I didn't note that The Mayor's Daughter is in college and in her early 20's.
She's a legal and a woman.
However, I fully support the rest of your post.
And by the way, the answer to your question is: The Mayor's wife and her feet.
Mainstream -
You need to calm down a bit, okay? Nobody's going over a cliff. Neither Funk, his wife, his daughter nor Joe Miller has behaved in a manner any sane person would compare to Hilton or Lohan. Really. If you think they have, you really need to take a vacation and relax a little. Maybe read up on the use of the word "literally". I'm starting to worry about you.
It's hilarious that you want me to call Tom McDonnell and ask him about Funkhouser. Now, why on earth would I do that? I don't expect Tom McDonnell to call me and ask the same question. Should I start forming all my opinions based upon a VIP opinion poll?
I don't think you're a small-minded person, Mainstream. I agree with sometimes, and I appreciate your comments. But you're mistaken about the level of "crisis". There isn't one. The month of July, though you apparently didn't notice, went by without any significant gaffes or miscues. Certainly nothing to motivate most bloggers to write about him in (now) 27 posts in 25 days.
Tony - thanks for commenting.
When the Mayor's wife is sitting in on meetings and playing an active role in City Hall, and the daughter is being sent out into the community as an emissary of sorts, they are both fair game for political criticism. They are playing political roles, and are subject to political evaluation. Do you seriously disagree with that, Dan? You may not agree with Tony's criticism, but your post made it sound like he was out of line ("even his child") to criticize them at all.
What is this "line" of which you speak, Sophia? What line is it that Tony observes?
More seriously, Tony can write what he likes. I personally think his picking on Tara was crappy, but that might be because I have children her age. But the only line it crosses is one of personal judgment, and I would never expect Tony to agree with me on all matters of personal judgment.
Tony has one other note: disparaging plans for downtown.
Oh for the love of all that's holy. Dan attacking Tony for attacking Funk is about as meaningful as a dog chasing its freaking tail. Accept it already, Dan, those of who criticize Funk don't hate him. And the reason Tony only had 7 posts on Barnes vs. 26 on Funk might have more to do with competence vs. incompetence. You can critize Barnes on the issues, but that's because she didn't keep making rookie league mistakes that kept everyone from even seeing the issues.
So far, it's pretty well near impossible to say anything Funk has done or accomplished as mayor other than a litany of embarrassing screw ups. And no matter how you want to spin it, Dan, that's entirely Funk's fault, not Tony's.
Thank goodness there are men like Dan out there willing to stick out their necks for poor defenseless women like Gloria and Tara. Where would women like me be w/o big strong men like Dan out there to protect us???? (emphasis on sarcasm)
The entire point of the feminist movement was that women DO NOT NEED men to protect us. We can be held accountable for our own acts - including sticking our noses where they were not invited. I don't respect women who let other men "come to their resuce". A real woman knows how to stand up for herself and doesn't hide behind men like you and Joe Miller and Kendrick Blackwood.
I don't feel sorry for Funk's "child" (I thought a 22 year old woman was just that - a GROWN WOMAN - sure, she's somebody's daughter, but certainly not a "child") and wife for the comments Tony makes about them. If they don't like being made fun of in Tony's blog, they get the hell out of the ELECTED Mayor's office. Dan, if you don't like what you read in Tony's blog you should stop reading it. You have no credibility on this matter anyway.
Dan, no need to worry about me. My post above, like my many others are intentionally extreme to make a point, because some people just don't get subtle points.
I picked a Lohan metaphor specifically because it's extreme, everybody's familiar with it, and its pretty much true, if you listen to other people. Sure, it's not about drugs and sex, but the dynamic is very similar.
And of course you're not going to call McDonnell. The point I was trying to make is that Funk has problems with his supporters across the board, regardless of their socio-economic or political station in life. If you dispute that, I'm going to start to worry about you, Dan. Should I be worried?
Now, let's talk about your positioning in your post above. You say
"He's also attacked Mark's wife 7 times, and even attacked his child."
Reading that, especially the use of "child" and "wife" you're obviously trying to paint a picture of a mean-spirited blogger picking on an innocent wife and child.
Now, you probably know that Tara is an adult, not a child, and Tara screams of rebellion, especially in the way she dresses. She displays and inordinate amount of cleavage almost all the time. Not the way I would want the first daughter of Kansas City to represent herself, but that's just my opinion. Who am I to judge on that? That's their business.
Except that Tara is not just visiting her parents on break - she has an office in City Hall and is formulating public policy. And therefore subject to public scrutiny and criticism.
If criticism of this "child" is inappropriate, Dan, this "child" should not be officing in the Mayor's office and conducting city business.
The same is true for Gloria, and I don't need to talk anymore on that. Both of those intelligent, independent women deserve our respect; and at the same time our scrutiny and criticsm as long as they are involved in city business.
And you know something? If people would follow anything approximating normal conventions in behavior we wouldn't be facing this criticism.
Now, is that an extreme view Dan? Perhaps I do need to refill my prozac presciption...
:o)
"The month of July, though you apparently didn't notice, went by without any significant gaffes or miscues."
What do you want? An award? Way to set the bar high there Dan. That's the best you can come up with in defending Mayor Squitiro?
What you should really say is Jim Nutter finally got to Funk and somehow managed to get a partial muzzle on Gloria. That alone is the most impressive move by anybody remotely connected with the mayor's office. Then by "firing" Joe Miller and giving him "big picture" duties they were able to find a sacrificial lamb without really sacrificing anybody.
I just got done filling up my car at a busy gas station, one of the customers of which was the Honorable Mark Funkhouser, mayor not of Mayberry, but of one of the larger cities in the country. The mayor was putting gas in his beat up Toyota Corolla wearing ratty jeans, a t-shirt, and canvas Converse All-Star high top sneakers. Ok, so I guess even the mayor gets to take a Monday off now and then (at least I HOPE he wasn't at the office today) Point is, everyone at the gas station was LAUGHING at him, and not in that semi-respectful "he's goofy but we love him" way but in a "what a freaking JOKE we have for a mayor" kind of way.
Four years from now, Mark Funkhouser will be another Jesse Ventura -- looked back upon by even those who will admit having supported him as a disasterous mistake that, well, SEEMED like a good idea at the time. . . .
Funkhouser really should call up Country Club Kay for a style consultation. She always looked great in that one teal suit from the 80s and her helmet-cut hair shellacked into place.
There is a large majority of people south of the Missouri River who voted for Brooks. So won't you get negative effect feeling from the Brooks people talking bad about Funkhouser.
Barnes put Kansas city in a deficit. Worst mistake was approving the Sprint Arena even though Kansas City people first voted no on the 85,000 seat arena.
Barnes was more of a YES mayor. She did what ever the developers told her to do.
Now you get Funkhouser who thinks for himself and doesn't have to be told what to do like the other mayors.
Look at most of all the people complained about Cleaver when he was against lightrail going down Main Street. He knew what it was really serving.
Geeze what a mess KC, Mo. is. Glad I live in Johnson County. You all have a mouth don't you? If you're so friggin upset with the mayor, why don't you open it IN PERSON? Why don't you take your concerns to the horse's mouth? I've been pissed at my mayor before and he's heard from me, by name and face. People have a tendency to respond to people who are talking to them directly.
Are you serious?
I think living in Johnson County would be like that awful movie where the guy gets lost in Bed, Bath & Beyond and can't get out.
Anon...I could say you know nothing about Jo Co...specially where I live where wildlife abound, lots of big beautiful parks, ... and we even have a big Indian pow wow and the Pony Express Riders coming to celebrate our 150th anniversary...
But, anyhow, ignorance is bliss.
Travelingal - I'm glad you're glad you live in Johnson County. Now, be honest, I'm going to bet you bragging rights that you live on a cul-de-sac.
True?
I'm not casting judgement, I've just found that 9 out of 10 people I know in JoCo live on a cul-de-sac. I can usually get a free drink out of this bet.
To your other point: The problem is is that a lot of people are giving him pretty good advice, with their real name and face, and he is choosing not to listen.
Travelingal -- Thanks for the lecture on social and political activism. If your approach with your mayor is similar to the one you use on your posts, I'm sure you have a great deal of impact and influence over there. I'm glad you live in Johnson County, too.
And, furthermore, anon, you didn't answer my question. If you care about your city, then why don't you contact the Mayor's Office and do something constructive about your gripes? And, btw, at least Tony has the balls to put his name to his concerns. You got any?
Mainstream...no I don't live on a cul-de-sac. I'm in the sticks. I'm well aware of Johnson County "tan" but I don't live in such a community.
If people are going to the Mayor and getting blown off, then there's a real problem.
"But, anyhow, ignorance is bliss."
travelingal,
my comment was made merely to make a point: if you don't want others to make snooty judgments about where you obviously enjoy living, then maybe you shouldn't make snooty judgments about the place where they obviously enjoy living.
thank you.
Anon, I'm happy you enjoy where you're livin. I didn't make a snooty comment. I was reflecting on the constant harping about the way the mayor handles KC. However, you, made a snooty comment about me and where I live. I will grant you this. I don't live in KC and therefore have no influence or stake in KC other than wanting it to succeed. After all, I am your neighbor, like it or not and I do pop by once in a while as I'm sure you do here in my county. The fact is both places are very diverse in people and landscape.
Back to Funkhouser. Shit I almost feel like I know him after being at this blog. Hell, I may make an appt to meet him just for the hell of it. My point is he is YOUR mayor. YOU elected him. At least sit down and talk to him instead of this incessant barking. If he's that damn bad, impeach him, but ya better have a pretty good reason.
We have people from Kansas come to our neighborhood to pick up a prostitute.
Kansas is a nice place to live, better roads and they actually have curbs and sidewalks everywhere. Kansas businesses last alittle longer. Living in midtown is somewhat a challenge. You get to see a wide variety of people and things. Where I live they do their drug business in plain sight. In Kansas their more decreet. In midtown you're close to everything. The worst thing about living in midtown is the pollution. It smells in the morning of car tires. As the day goes on the smell dissipates. With the condo epidemic I see more people and cars than what it was 10 years ago. Main Street and Broadway are much busier. I surprise there aren't more businesses along this drag.
Wow - a whole lot of people (or a couple commenters, anyhow) seem to think that Tony's obsessiveness is not odd. Alright, that's fine - you're wrong, but you've been wrong before, and it'll happen again soon, I'm sure.
The Nitwit responds with his/her normal blend of vitriol and reflexive Funk-slamming. Predictable - not as predictable as Tony, but same old same old.
Betrayed thinks someone stops being someone else's child at a certain date. Betrayed probably calls her mother "some old lady" and her father "that oppressive old man". I wrote that Tony attacked Mark's child, and I was absolutely 100% correct, and yet managed to win Betrayed's anger as the Bobby Riggs of blogging. Amazing, isn't it, how irrational some people are when they have an anonymous soapbox from which to screech?
Similarly, Mainstream claims I was "obviously trying to paint a picture of a mean-spirited blogger picking on an innocent wife and child." I wise man taught me that the words "obviously" and "clearly" are bright red signals of the weakest part of an argument. Sure enough, Mainstream uses them to try to cover his absence of any evidence I tried to portray anyone as "innocent". To use his "logic", the word "wife" in and of itself "obviously" indicates innocence. Nice try to twist my words, but you've been busted. But, seriously, that part of the comment was a whole lot more acceptable than the breathless part about his child's cleavage. Eww, you perv.
Anonymous 12:57 packs so much wrongness into a few sentences that it's hard to respond, save to observe that Joe has not been fired, the post covered the month of July, and I spoke with a most definitely non-muzzled Ms. Squitiro yesterday afternoon.
Anonymous 1:45 and 1:53 want to talk about looks, and I agree that Mark is not as handsome as I am. 1:45, however, is the sort of person who laughs at someone wearing jeans and a t-shirt at a gas station. I know you won't believe this, 1:45, but most of us don't think a dress code is necessary for the gas station on a day off. Go ahead and laugh if you must, but, despite your impression, most people don't laugh if a guy wears jeans and a t-shirt to the gas station. Is it possible they were laughing at you?
Then you guys all started bagging on each other over the State Line, and, all I can say is that Travelingal certainly came out on top of that discussion.
Dan,
I don't find Tony's plethora of Funk posts "odd," because I've seen that whenever Tony becomes obsessively stalker-like (the way he is with Mayor Funkhouser) there's usually some petty personal slight behind it. (Stuff that most of us would just brush off and move on over, but I guess Tony has a lot of time to spend stewing since he has no job and no real occupation other than making racist comments and posting about his 'enemies,' which are becoming more numerous by the day.)
Anyway, I don't think it takes a whole lot of imagination to see that Tony's creepy obsession with our mayor very likely has to do with personal sour grapes his mom (who still provides room and board for Tony) has over not getting something she wanted from this administration. Maybe that means less Chinese food for Tony, and therefore he's mad?
I don't know. But I think his obsession only seems "odd" if you're expecting him to behave like a fairly mentally healthy, non-obsessed, non-mother's-basement-dwelling human being.
Nonny
Ignorance is Strength
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Funkhouser is Reform
E. Goldstein, Sec. 720
Dan,
You say "obsession," I say "leitmotif." Funk is the mayor. Tony doesn't like him. The Mayor shows up in the news a lot. Tony has a lot of opportunities to talk about the Mayor. It's not like Tony picked some obscure employee and went out digging up dirt on the guy -- it's the frickin Mayor!
And your listing the number of Funk posts failed to account for the fact that Tony makes a lot of posts about a lot of different things. He's got other themes: hating on the Pitch; promoting the boobs; and disclaiming puns with homoerotic potential, to name a few. If Tony's treatment of Funk counts as "obsessive," then your defenses of Funk count as "hysterical." I don't read either of you as that emotional in your writing. Perhaps I'm wrong.
"He's also attacked Mark's wife 7 times, and even attacked his child."
Your responses to the interpretation of that sentence are weak, so weak that I would say you are the one who is busted. Yes, Tara is his child. But Tony didn't criticize her for being Funk's child. He criticized her for being a flaky emissary, and he criticized Funk for engaging in nepotism. To suggest that it is inappropriate to criticize Funk's relative when you are criticizing him for nepotism is absurd. To suggest that Tara can't be criticized for how she performs in an official capacity because she is someone's child...well, we're all someone's child.
I think your intention in writing that sentence was obvious (not just "and his child," but "and EVEN his child"). I don't see anyone else coming up with a contrary reading -- and you've evaded the central point in your responses. Two adult women were criticized for how they behaved in an official capacity, and you identified them as "wife" and "even his child," as if the criticism were being directed at the two adult women in their capacities as family members. Perhaps the problem for you getting your mind around that distinction is the fact that the two adult women would be nowhere near an official capacity for the city if they were not related to the Mayor. If so, that's part of the problem isn't it?
Dan, every time I think you hit a new level of cluelessness, you prove me wrong.
First off, all the semantics and arguments you invoke are absurd, as well as calling me a perv for saying I wouldn't let my daughterleave the house dressed like Tara does, much less represent the city.
But whatever. You shouldn't drink and blog.
To your point that the word "obviously" precededs the weakest argument, this is all I have to say:
"It's obvious to all of us that you are an effective defender of the Funk. Keep up the good work."
"The Nitwit responds with his/her normal blend of vitriol and reflexive Funk-slamming. Predictable - not as predictable as Tony, but same old same old."
Golly, Dan, where exactly did I slam Funk and where was my vitriol? I said Funk has brought this criticism on himself with a series of incompetent and embarrassing screw ups. That's self-evident to those not in denial. I also didn't slam Funk at all. I didn't call him names, and I held my criticism to what are very real issues to many, many voters in this city. Also, if you're going to call criticism of Funk by me or anyone else "reflexive," then you might want to look at your "reflexive" and "predictable" defense of his administration.
Further, I'm not quite sure how many days Funk has been in office, but I'm pretty sure we're past the 100-day mark, which is a very standard rubric to measure early success by any administration. No more excuses, and no more blaming everybody else. Please tell us, what exactly does Funk have to list other than what an awful lot of us Kansas Citians view as a litany of screw ups. Let's hear some specifics, Dan. What has he gotten done?
I know you like the guy. I know you want him to succeed. I honestly do too, because I care about my city. I also know you still believe he's the remedy for Kansas City's woes, but a lot of us aren't convinced or reassured by what we've seen so far. His judgement has been seriously lacking. I'd also caution you that you and the Funkhousers are make a serious mistake by trying to brush of criticism of Funk as "same old same old." Everybody is talking about his screw ups. Not just his "critics," and there's absolutely zero chance Funkhouser would win re-election today. None.
Funk has gotten off to a terrible start because of his own missteps and because of his own failure to demonstrate any tangible, positive developments. I've said it before on here, Dan: You guys need to pick something doable, achieve it quickly and then take a victory lap. It doesn't have to be as big as light rail or cutting crime, but he needs to show the public that he is delivering results. Telling us that we just need to wait a couple years to before we dare to judge him is a response that's guaranteed to doom him to losing re-election and to becoming a lame duck in the eyes of the City Council.
Sophia - you may have a point at leitmotif, in that he does write about other things, as well. Good points - I should have been more clear that Tony's tediousness exists solely in his unrelenting and unreasonable negativity toward the Mayor. If Funk cured cancer, Tony would complain that it impacts the people of color who work on the cancer ward. We all know I'm correct about that.
Tony's attacks on Tara are, in my opinion, bad behavior. But that's my opinion, not a documented fact, and you are free to support that kind of behavior. But it's not reasonable to act like I'm some kind of sexist pig because I think it's wrong-headed - though not as wrong as Mainstream's focus on her "inordinate amount of cleavage". That's just kind of gross.
But, getting back to me, I pointed out that Tony's obsession with Mark has extended to his family - it's true, I'm correct, and it supports my point that Tony is obsessed with Mark. I haven't even said it's inappropriate to criticize Mark, much less his family. As I said in the immediately following sentence, "There's nothing inherently wrong with Tony's obsession." You're kicking a straw man.
Nitwit - the fact that you think your initial comment was not your usual blend of vitriol and Funk bashing is kind of illuminating, but not convincing. As for your further questions, I'm not going to waste my time dealing with you on that stuff. In fact, he and the council are off to a respectable start, and I think the coming months are going to be great. But, like Tony, you aren't going to be satisfied no matter what. You're not who I care to convince, Nitwit.
You may or may not hate the mayor or the city, but that doesn't matter. You've shown yourself to be ceaselessly negative - whereas I have shown myself to be willing to call them as I see them, whether I agree with Funk on something or not. You have a vastly inflated sense of your own importance and entitlement to expect me to dance to the tune you call.
Please take a second and reread the post that inspired this thread. In it, I pointed out that Tony has focused a huge amount of posts on criticizing the mayor and his family. I was right about that, wasn't I? In fact, I was right about the whole thing, with the only correction being that, as Sophia points out, Funk is more of a leitmotif than singular obsession in Tony's multiple-posting world.
The fact that several commenters here have failed to notice that I am correct, but instead used this post as a springboard for criticizing me and the Mayor, shows that Tony's not the only one with leitmotifs.
Dan -- I guess my point in relaying my experience with "Hiz Honer" the Mayor at the gas station was, if you're the mayor of Hooterville, maybe it's ok to drive a Toyota Corolla POS covered in bumper stickers and to walk around town looking like you've just finished mowin' the back 40.
If, on the other hand, you're the mayor of a city of half a million people who desperately want their issues effectively presented in places like -- I don't know -- Washington D.C., the Missouri General Assembly, etc., then maybe you accept the fact that perception is often reality, and you don't really WANT people thinking Kansas City is Hooterville when they look at you.
Come on, Dan. I know you're a proud citizen of Funkytown, but I can't believe you don't accept that basic truth.
This gas station griping is the silliest criticism of Funkhouser that I've heard. Guess what - he was at the gas station. If he goes to Washington, D.C., I can bet you he'll wear a suit. But to imply that he should wear a suit to the gas station (you probably think it's scandalous that he drives himself and pumps his own gas, right?) is just absurd.
Dan, I think your post was pretty accurate, actually.
And I'll take the blame for taking the focus off of your post and TKS, and putting on the many Funk shortcomings, with my first post here. In the future I'll try my best to stick to the subject at hand.
However, note that it certainly doesn't take much to get the blogosphere up in arms about the Funk.
But, obviously, that's just us focusing on the wrong things and not looking at the situation in its entirety.
It's really about respect - for the office and for Kansas City. "Gas station griping" makes the point - Kansas Citians (finally) have some righful measure of pride about their city and the course it has taken in the last handful of years, only to have it disrespected because the City's Mayor is so narcistically tied to his "regular guy" persona that he refuses to understand that he's no longer "The Funk," he's the Mayor. What if George Brett had never washed his #5?
Dan, I don't have an inflated sense of my self importance at all. I know that I'm not the one who gets invited to Funkhouser family meetings, whereas you're the powerbroker on this blog and in local Dem circles, after all.
As to your refussal to name any specific accomplishments of Funk's first 100 Days, I think that's what's truly illuminating. I'd love to hear anything positive that he's done. I'm not asking you to jump through hoops. I'm asking you to name anything tangible that should cause us to be excited, glad or simply content that he's leading our city until 2011.
Oh, and you might want to check your ego long enough to recognize that some folks (especially those who criticize you) often offer good advice. You can choose not to take it. Just like you can choose to believe that everyone who criticizes Funk hates him. Hell, you can choose be wrong 24-7 if you want to. It's your call.
Nitwit - I think Dan is not treating your comments fairly.
It's too bad he cannot engage in normal discussion.
Thanks, mainstream. I appreciate your saying that. It's a real shame when people circle the wagons like Team Funk has. It's ironic too, considering how often Funk himself has remarked that he wants to hear from people who disagree with him and that disagreement leads to real progress. Either that's just bluster from hizzoner or else his supporters need to get with the program.
"If Funk cured cancer, Tony would complain that it impacts the people of color who work on the cancer ward. We all know I'm correct about that."
Dan,
I don't know if you're correct, but I'll give you points for being funny.
Anonymous Toyota haters,
WTF? Why should I care what the Mayor drives? I thought it was tacky for Barnes to sign the lease for the Town Car. The lease having been signed, I thought Funkhouser should have driven it rather than breaking the contract. Funk having broken the contract, I really don't care what the man drives as long as it gets him where he needs to be. You might as well criticize him for failing to crack down on skateboarders and news kiosks. Pfft, I say.
Anonymous Gas man -
No. I do not accept the "basic fact" that it is improper for Funk to wear jeans and a t-shirt while filling up his car with gas. What more can I say?
Anonymous Gas Man/Brett Fan - Wearing a tux while filling up a Jaguar does not mean respect, either. In fact, filling up your tank has nothing to do with respect for the city, one way or the other. The fact that you and your friend think it is worth mentioning that Funk filled his gas tank is simply beyond silly.
Mainstream/Nitwit - Before we get ourselves too worked into a pity party for Nitwit, let's slow down and look at the nonsense he's been spewing. Mainstream, you may be correct that I don't cut Nitwit a whole lot of slack. That's because he has been an obnoxious ass on this page for months. Please, google "nitwit site:gonemild.com", and you'll see why he annoys me. You'll find unrelenting snark, sarcasm, and precious little thought. He even polluted my post about my Silver Anniversary with some cheap snarky crap. I have been blessed with a group of intelligent, interesting, challenging commenters, and one unrelenting, meanspirited ass. I believe that I treat him with more respect than he treats me or others with whom he disagrees.
And the thing is, most of it is horribly stupid. Look at his last comment. Where does that stuff about "circling the wagons" come from? Who's circling what wagons? I pointed out that Tony has posted more than a post a day slamming the Mayor and his family, and nobody can dispute the correctness of what I pointed out. What the hell is he talking about?
Then he complains that the Mayor who has a blog where anybody can comment, who attends community forums every other week, and who shows up at a freaking gas station by himself if anybody wants to talk to him - he complains that he and his team are not really open to negative comments? WTF does it take to satisfy someone like Nitwit?
And that's why I don't respond to his asking for what's going right. Really, honestly, what is the point in engaging in that kind of conversation with a person who suffers from a completely negative attitude and an apparently confused intellect. If I point out that Mark made great committee appointments, he'll be snarky. If I point out that he is working toward renegotiating a better City Manager contract, he'll be ill-informed and snarky. If I point out that Mark has been going out in the community and listening to people instead of only real estate developers, guess what he'll be?
I do my best to be rational, accurate and fair in my commentary. Most of my commenters, I think, do the same. Somebody like Nitwit comes in here with wild, unsupported, inaccurate accusations and hostility. Most of the time, I try to respond to him with rational, accurate and fair commentary. Most of the time, that's enough to make me look mean and confrontational, because I don't coddle his bullshit.
Wow. 39 comments. Oops! Guess I just made it 40!
Jesus H. Christ in a chicken basket people! This is going to be a long fucking 4 years. PACE YOURSELVES!
Look, for better or for worse, Saruman hasn't done ANYTHING of substance since taking posession of Orthanc. Good or bad. They're all still trying to figure out how the Palantir works and how to make Orcs.
Which means that all of this dog-piling criticism AND the pollyannish defensiveness that's going on are equally unwarranted.
But here is why you should ALL be ashamed of yourselves.
You know who the real winner in this debate is?
Tony.
That fucking attention whore (not that there's anything wrong with that...takes one to know one) is sitting in his mom's basement, reading all of these comments, gorging on snack cakes and choking the chicken with fervent vigor.
What was it he said way back in comment #2?
"Awesome post. I'm in favor of all posts about me."
Can you really sleep tonight knowing that you helped Tony get his "O Face" on?
I refuse to be a part of this sad debauchery.
I'm gonna grill me a cheeseburger and watch me some tee vee.
Pity party? Snark? Ha. Dan, I've really only responded to you in kind. And judging from my tone toward you and Funk in this thread versus your tone toward me, I think it's pretty obvious who is taking the higher road here.
Sorry if you took my remark on your silver anniversary as snark or as even something meanspirited. It wasn't intended that way at all. Clearly you are taking my comments too seriously, which is an amazing faux pas for someone who has had a blog for as long as you have.
Then you spend paragraphs railing at me and making excuses for your inability to name any of Funk's accomplishments. In fact, the only two examples you can dig up include one of Funk's biggest goofups with Semler and what is at best a work in progress that has yet to bear any fruit. I'm not nitpicking, Dan. 100 Days is plenty of time to be able to point to a single tangible achievement. Yet, you can't name one. It says a lot more than your paragraphs of weasel words and attacks on me do.
Enjoy the cheeseburger, XO - you deserve it for yet another comment with wisdom and humor.
Nitwit - there you go again. Semler was not a committee appointment. You're too meanspirited and ill-informed to engage in debate.
And, sure, it's my fault that when you post a comment on my Silver Anniversary claiming (incorrectly, again, but that's to be expected) that I never admit a mistake, I take it as a snarky comment. I'm sure you meant it as praise and well-wishing.
Ohh Dan, give it up. So a regular guy confuses Committee And Board. They do the same things. Are you on the Funkhouser Water Carrying Board or Committee? Who is chairing that? You, Kendrick, Fierro or Anti-Hispanic Charlie Shields' Boy Crispin?
What? We don't get French benefits?
Tony's right.
In fact, he and the council are off to a respectable start, and I think the coming months are going to be great
Problem is those good things get overshadowed by his missteps. Taking a bribe, I mean free car, sells more papers than filling potholes.
Funk needs to get a "good" TIF project started on the eastside to get everyone's mind off his missteps.
As far as Tara's cleavage is concerned, sex sells baby. More cleavage is what this town needs. There aint nothin wrong with hooterville!
Dean, you're perspective is refreshing. Hooterville is definitley a good place to be.
If you're Mark Funkhouser, hooterville is much more friendly than the City Council, contrary to Dan's assertion.
Dan I'm going to have to point out that there are very few, if any, council members that are jumping to be on Funk's side.
Yeah, they'll be with him on the no-brainer issues, but he's lost the council.
I'll give you a very good example. Deb Hermann.
Deb was a Funkette until he did at least two things. First he put up Semler, someone who isn't really liked in the North for a lot of reasons, NOT including FAIR Coalition and Minutemen affiliations. Add the FAIR and Minutemen connections - and - Deb calling Funk to warn him off and he ignores her. Double whammy.
Secondly, Deb Hermann heads a subcomittee that's evaluating Wayne. Everybody knows that's Deb's territory, and it's what Deb has in common with Funk - a general dislike of Wayne.
Sooo, Funk, knowing this, proposes that the entire council hear the Wayne issue, and that quite appropriatley upsets Deb. Funk then realizes the negative feedback from Deb, and changes it back to the way things were.
No damage done on a "net" basis, but the damage is done nevertheless.
Lesson Funk should learn: respect shown is always remembered, and disrespect shown is always remembered.
But nobody that I know is under the illusion that the council is with Funk.
And that's what I would tell Funk if I was advising him. If I was advising him I wouldn't tell him everything is ok.
Just my two cents.
I want to thank Dan and everybody on this thread for referring to TKC in the context of some really intelligent insights about Kansas City politics.
Nice to know that I have at least a little share of mind on that front.
Also, I think we can get this thing above 50 if we all try real hard.
More food for thought:
Mainstream should be advising the Mayor.
I do all I can for my Mom but I don't see how stupid blog posts help anybody. Believe it or not, the only person I write for is MM and if I can make myself chuckle than I feel like I've made a difference. Only an internet dolt would believe that a post on a joke blog would ever make a difference in the real world of politics . . . However, I did mow the lawn today and then take a shower so I guess that might count as anti-Funk propaganda . . . I guess.
Also, they should give midgets to blind people.
XO is wise beyond his wrap around shades.
I'm also not a fan of downtown development, the hegemony, Coldplay, mainstream journalism, mosquitoes, feminists, the Chiefs, the Royals, KC hipsters and St. Louis style (thin crust) pizza.
Fire away, you can do it. Aim for 50!!!
Dan, if my joking that you never admit to mistakes was so snarky and nasty that you're still actually holding a grudge over that, then I truly apologize. Good Lord, I forgot what I had said, though, as I recall I wasn't alone in pointing out that you, like a lot of married guys, are lucky to have someone who puts up with you. A less reactionary and less defensive blogger might have recognized my comment for the obvious poke and joke it was meant to be. (You do have a well earned reputation for being stubborn in admitting when you're wrong, whether you realize it or not.) But since you can't read anything I write without assuming it's full of literal hate and bile, then I really am sorry if my remark in any way tarnished your silver anniversary. That wasn't my intent.
Wow! It looks like Tony just dominated your site. I have say that I think that the 26 posts in 24 days assessment is sort of a loaded exaggeration to say the least. The reason I say this is mainly because you conveniently forgot to mention that Tony also posts dozens of stories (and probably twice as many links) every single day, which means that if he posted 26 posts about Funk in 24 days then he also probably posted hundreds of stories and links in those same 24 days.
So while your post is a little searching and loaded, I think you've at least found a nice little "trick" of your own by inadvertantly discovering that NO ONE is interested in anything you have to say UNLESS it has to do with Tony.
My only question now is: Do you kiss Tony's picture before you go to bed at night?
We should try to get this thing to a number Tony could relate to . . . 69.
Anyone with me?
Criticism of Funkhouser is well deserved but, as XO said, if we expect to survive the next four years, we better begin to cut the guy more slack and pace ourselves. Otherwise all the Funkhaters will come across as lunatics.
Nitwit - you didn't tarnish anything, so don't worry about it. I recognize that you are always mean, nasty and thoughtless, so I don't expect anything else, and I certainly don't expect you to recall every instance of such behavior.
Anonymous 2:18 - I've acknowledged that Tony posts about lots of things. Now, can you find any subject at all that approaches Funk as a leitmotif? I'm not going to take the time to do the actual count, but my bet is that there isn't one.
Anonymous 6:09 - "we better begin to cut the guy more slack and pace ourselves. Otherwise all the Funkhaters will come across as lunatics." Bingo. You win the gold star. My point exactly.
Oh my God, Dan. You can't even take an apology? And I'm the one who's "always mean, nasty and thoughtless"?
Nitwit - Really, I don't want an apology from you. I pointed out your rudeness so that others could know what an ass you've been.
But, really, as a friendly suggestion, if you want to apologize to someone, it's not wise to describe them as reactionary and defensive, and accuse them of missing a joke and holding a grudge. Take it from someone who's made an apology or two.
Dan, I believe your own comments stand as a crystal clear example of rudeness and a lack of class. I did apologize, and I tried to explain to you where I think you misinterpreted my remark. You clearly are incapable of reading anything I say without twisting it into some sort of personal afront, and that's a real shame.
I really am sorry if my remark on your anniversary offended you. That wasn't my intent in any way. You chose to take what was intended as a friendly jab as an insult or as an attack, which was mistaken on your part. Your defensiveness and downright hostility toward me is very evident, and your response to my apology shows that.
I wasn't being an ass at all, Dan, but you certainly are showing yourself to be one now.
Dan what about the campaign video that TKC did for Funkhouser? TKC wasn't always anti-funk as you suggest. Funk and his wife walked into all the well deserved criticism and posts. I do not think that a campaign worker / volunteer advisor has any room to talk about "one trick" posts. Where are your critical posts on Funk?
"Now, can you find any subject at all that approaches Funk as a leitmotif?"
Already did -- disclaiming potentially homoerotic puns.
"Where are your critical posts on Funk? "
If memory serves, he criticized the Semler appointment.
You wanted to know what the day's attack on Funkhouser would be? Today Tony is flipping out because a non-Christian memner of the KC Interfaith Council did the invocation at the recent legislative session.
He really needs to get a grip.
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