Save the Mango Room and Other Independent Restaurants! - End of August Update

Today is the penultimate day of August, and tomorrow is looking pretty busy, so it is time to report on the results of my self-imposed challenge to eat only in Kansas City-owned restaurants from July 19 through the end of August. Folks, Kansas City is blessed with some outstanding local restaurants, but we're going to lose them to chains if we don't support them. Sadly, Napoleon's Bakery and Cafe - a wonderful place for sandwiches and dessert (!!) vanished during the past few weeks.

I eat out a lot - too much, in fact. I probably average around 4 times a week for lunch, and a couple times a week for dinner, if you count carry-out. For someone who loves to cook, I don't do it nearly often enough. Living without corporate food, though, was surprisingly easy for the past 6 weeks. (The only time I violated my own policy was this past Monday night, when Ali wanted to have her going-away dinner at Lidia's, which could be considered by some dogmatic souls to be a chain based outside of Kansas City. Man, it was worth compromising my integrity!!)

I don't want to talk too much about specific restaurants, though I hope to do more profiling of my favorites on this blog in the near future. Instead, I want to talk more holistically about the challenge.

I'm sticking with it, and I encourage you to take the challenge. Shop local restaurants for meals you eat out or carry out.

One of the things I noticed was the attitude you get. If you walk into a Taco Bell, you get an efficient and corporately polite greeting. You are another unit for the day, and the person behind the counter sees you as another widget to be processed.

If you walk into Midtown Burrito's and More, you get a conversation. Sometimes, you get waited on by Nona, or, if you're outside of school hours, you might get her darling daughter. There, you are a valued customer, and the experience is affirming and positive, as opposed to dehumanizing. I'm not a new-age person who believes in karmas and auras and all that stuff, but believe me when I assure you that the experience of getting fast food from a local place leaves you feeling better about the world in a way that you don't get from a corporate place.

Less spiritually, I'm more convinced than ever that local restaurants are better for our local economy. It just makes sense that when the food is make locally, from ingredients bought locally, by local people who aren't shipping a five or ten figure franchise fee out of our neighborhoods, more money stays around our community.

And I learned that buying from local restaurants is not necessarily cheaper. Honestly, it's hard to compete with a 99 cent value meal for sheer cheapness. I didn't find many local places, even the fast food ones, where I could get our for under $5 for lunch.

When I saw the hard-working people and families in our locally-owned restaurants trying to compete for the cheapest meal possible, it made me think about why they were failing. They don't have international corporate farms. They don't do insane volume, driven by national advertising. They don't have an insidious labor system set up, where badly-paid managers are "incented" to make the lives of even-worse-paid workers miserable.

So, for the buck or so extra you might be spending, you are specifically buying your way out of what is so wrong about corporate food. You are buying your way out of food chemists and evil "human resource" directors. That 99 cent hamburger comes packed with a whole lot of economic injustice that you can avoid by shopping locally.

Finally, I found myself going into places I never would have gone into, and being glad for the experience. I never would have gone to Mike's Philly Steak Shop on 39th, just east of Main. I never would have dropped in on Midtown Burrito's - heck, I never would have seen it, huddled up against the old Lamar's building on Linwood.

I found myself getting past my self-imposed cowardice of only wanting to go into shops and buildings where I already knew what the counters and menus look like. I found myself really wanting to find something unexpected and quirky, rather than predictable. That's a huge change, and one that cuts to the core of corporate America. If I go into a McDonald's in Maine or Arizona, I know it's going to be pretty much the same as the one on Broadway. I know exactly what I will be asked, and I know how to respond - there's no danger of having to listen to a human being and respond to a human being. We have a script. And the coward in me wants that.

But the better me doesn't. If I go into Mike's Diner in Maine, it ought to be a different experience than if I go into Mike's Diner in Arizona. The better me wants to get out of my car and experience that difference. The better me knows that the food is probably better than I'd get at McDonald's, and the staff is probably friendlier, and the prices are going to be pretty much the same.

For 6 weeks, the better me has been winning the argument over the cowardly me, and I'm glad. I'm going to try to keep it that way into the future.

But, after August is officially over, I want some Pop-Eye's spicy chicken. That stuff's good, and I've missed it.

Blunt Unilaterally Imposes Racial Profiling Slippery Slope on Missouri

I try not to be shocked by the anti-American depravity of Matt Blunt, but I did not foresee this one: "Citing an “unnatural influx” of illegal immigrants, Gov. Matt Blunt on Monday ordered state troopers to start checking the immigration status of every person they arrest." Emboldened by the Governor's anti-immigrant stance, the Highway Patrol has decided to go even further and run computer checks on anyone they want - “If we think they’re illegal, then we would be checking them,” said Lt. John Hotz, a spokesman for the patrol.

What, exactly, do you think it will take to trigger a suspicion that "they're illegal"? Tan skin will suffice. A latino last name will suffice. A plastic statue of the Virgin Mary will suffice.

What has happened to the Republican party? Didn't they used to be the small-government party? Has their love of white supremacy overridden their love of liberty?

Today, they are coming after the Hispanic population - running their names through government databases at any opportunity. Do you honestly believe that they'll stop there? On a dark night at a traffic stop, a Jew might look swarthy and Arabic, so let's run them through the database, too. And why should we limit ourselves to immigration issues? Why don't we look for a broader group of crimes? Why don't we look for anyone on the no-fly list?

And why should we endure the risk of the nonwhite criminal class avoiding occasional traffic stops? Why don't we go ahead and set up a few checkpoints at key locations?

Is it really hysterical of me to ask if anybody remembers when saw the Soviet Union as an enemy instead of a model? We already have our secret prisons . . .

Hungary Heart

Those who know me and my circumstances would be justified in expecting one of my maudlin, ruminative postings today. In a few hours, we'll drive to the airport so Ali can begin her journey to Budapest, Hungary, from which she will not return until the eve of Christmas Eve. It's been a great summer with her, and I've enjoyed having her around. I'll miss her horribly.

But I'm not going to be weepy today. This is cool - this is joyful and outstanding.

Studying in Hungary for four months! She'll be surrounded by history and the present. She'll see the Danube River. She'll visit Romania and God knows what other countries I've always wanted to see. She'll taste foods, see sights, drink beers, hear music, meet people and live in an apartment in a city that was sealed off behind the Iron Curtain when I was her age. In so many ways, the world has opened up for her.

And few people I know are better suited to carpe this diem. Ali is wide-eyed but streetsmart. She attracts people with her wit, beauty and smile, but she's selective about who gets close. She's adept enough in languages (state medalist in Latin!) to venture boldly into a country where the only native word she knows is Hungarian for "beer". (She may look like her mother, but I've had my own influences . . .)

So, bon voyage, sweetheart. Living abroad will teach you lots about yourself and the world. I'll check your new blog regularly. You'll be absolutely brilliant in Hungary, and I'm thrilled you have this opportunity.

Sail on silver girl
Sail on by
Your time has come to shine
All your dreams are on their way

Bye, bye, Gonzo

I have a little trouble getting myself excited about this. The supply of incompetent, corrupt Republicans is limitless, so he'll be replaced by somebody just as awful, and we are deprived of the spectacle of watching him get impeached.

99 Bottles of Beer on the Blog - Mac's Beer

So far in this series, I've only reviewed beers that I've really enjoyed. I've hoped to turn readers on to a few of the many fantastic beers out there that they might not have tasted, and might not get around to tasting.

Tonight, though, I'm hoping to save you all from a bad experience. Mac's Beer, a new "American Style Beer" contract brewed by Flying Monkey for EME Squared Brewing, is one of the worst beers I've tasted in years. There are lots of bad beers in the world, but this one distinguishes itself with its awful taste.

American Style Lagers are not easy to make. Because they are so light, there is no room for error. If you ferment a porter a few degrees too warm, or if your brown ale has a touch too much hop flavor, the sheer amount of other flavor will cover up the sin. With a beer that is aiming at delivering nothing but lightness and refreshment, though, every flaw is exposed.

I'm not one of those beer snobs who detests American lagers. There are times when a Budweiser hits the spot, and I have fond memories of the hop bitterness and tang of Schlitz. A good, crisp, cold American Lager can be a wonderful beer, though it won't have the depths of flavor and nuances of a Belgian ale.

Mac's is a bad American lager. It lacks the clean crispness of the good ones. Instead, it is heavy with a bready malt sweetness, and lacks the balance of hop bitterness that could rescue it from insipidness.

The aroma from the beer is cooked corn, indicating the presence of DMS (Dimethyl Sulfide). It's a common flaw in light beers, but can be avoided with cautious brewing and an open boil. The cooked corn shows up in the flavor, as well, weighing it down and converting what should be a delicate, light flavor into a heavy, vegetal one.

Many brewers consider American lager to be crap beer, and much of it is. Oddly enough, though, this least-favorite style requires more care and talent to make successfully than any other. Flying Monkey Brewery has made some pretty decent ales, but Mac's Beer shows that it is not ready to run with the big monkeys.

(Update, 8/28: If anybody wants the remainder of the 12 pack, email me at dan@gonemild.com.)

Outsmarted by Ted Nugent?

My friends over at the Kansas City Blue Blog are nothing if not enthusiastic and full of self-esteem. When the recipient of felon Republican Nathan Cooper's campaign money gave it to charity, the Blue Blog claimed to be "the first in the state to demand" that he do so, and claimed credit.

In related news, I demanded that the sun rise in the East, and it did so this morning, proving this blog's influence over the cosmos. (The sun's choice of where to rise was just as random as the Republican's choice of where to send tainted hot-potato money from a felon.)

Emboldened by this great success, though, they are now, again, "the first in Missouri to demand" something. This time, they are "demanding" that "maniac" Ted Nugent apologize for a bunch of outrageous statements made at a concert.

In a reprise of my mastery of the cosmos, I am going to upstage the Blue Blog by being the "first in Missouri" to "demand" that Ted Nugent ignore the Blue Blog. Indeed, I "demand" that he not use their name in his next concert, and I "demand" that he resist his urge to call them up on the telephone and beg their forgiveness. I demand that he not name his next album "Blue Blog Fever".

Anybody want to wager whose demands are more effective?

Now that I've made my demands, I might make a few suggestions to anyone who cares to listen to them. First, if you're running a blog in Kansas City and getting a few hundred hits a day, you're not in a position to make demands on public figures. Second, even if you were in such a position, giving publicity hungry nutcases additional publicity is not an effective deterrent.

"Of course, that's exactly what people like Ted Nugent want."

All Politics is Local

Yesterday evening, the my lovely spouse and I hosted a neighborhood get-together at our home for Jason Kander. I put hand-written notes on the invitation I delivered up and down my street, and was pleased to see the turn-out of neighbors who at least wanted to meet this liberal who had volunteered for Afghanistan.

Politically, Jason hit it out of the park, as I knew he would. He's a polished speaker and you can tell he really enjoys meeting and listening to people. I'm pretty sure that when I put his yard sign out next year, it will have several twins on the block.

It was great to hear and see my neighbors, though, and their issues. The woman across the street is frustrated by Governor Blunt's mishandling of the fee offices for auto licensing. The Republican from down the street thanked Jason for his service. We all had different issues and concerns, and we discussed them freely over drinks and snacks.

Personally, I wouldn't want to run for office, and expose myself to all the negativity that comes with even a "clean" campaign. I'm not quick enough or clever enough to jump from discussing license offices to education to Medicare to the intricacies of energy conservation.

I'm really glad that Jason Kander is willing to do it, though, and that he does it so well. And I'm glad that my neighborhood came out to meet him and see for themselves who he is and what he believes. Politics last night was as local as it gets, and it kind of gave me goosebumps to see democracy working.

Mayor's Education Summit - Brave Idea - Can We Pull It Off?

One of Kansas City's greatest civic concerns is the education of children in its urban core. For the past several decades, parents of school-age children in Kansas City, Missouri have struggled with either finding schools they like, or moving to the suburbs. Much of the growth of Johnson County can be attributed to the perception of educational opportunity.

Despite the prominence of education as a civic issue, Kansas City's mayors have been granted a "free pass" on getting involved. The Kansas City, Missouri School District is not under the governance of the Mayor - it is an entirely separate beast. "Not my problem" has been the general attitude of city government toward education in Kansas City.

Mayor Funkhouser was elected to eliminate politics as usual in Kansas City, and this is one area where he is making some progress. He is working on putting together an educational summit in January to find areas where the community is "on the same page" about education. "It is time to stop talking about the city this, the schools that, it's time to get on the same page," Funkhouser said.

I've been involved in some of the early planning for this summit, and it's important to keep in mind that this is a community issue - not a KCMSD event. Education in Kansas City's urban core comes in many forms - there are private schools, charter schools, home-schoolers, and religious schools. Students, parents and teachers are obviously interested in the issues, but so are employers, real estate developers, unions, police, suburbanites, etc.

Wouldn't it be great if we could draw people from all over our community and find five or so areas of agreement on urban education in Kansas City?

It's almost sad that we are at such a fundamental stage, but we are. Already, I can see that there are those who want this forum to be a referendum on Mr. Amato, or a sales job for the community schools idea. Already, I can see that some people want the whole thing to be about the KCMSD - and I think that would be misguided in a half-dozen different ways.

Education in Kansas City's urban core is a community issue, and, if this education summit is going to be more than just another "bitch and defend" session about the KCMSD, it needs to draw in the entire community.

I hope that every community-spirited individual in the Kansas City metro region puts a tentative "save the date" note on January 15, and starts thinking about education in Kansas City's urban core. Mayor Funkhouser could have washed his hands of this issue, but he's trying to accomplish something positive. It is an issue for the Mayor, and it is an issue for all Kansas Citians.

Open Letter to the Judiciary, Based Upon Right Wing Fear-Mongering

I love the fascinating glimpses into the fearful rightwing mind that you can pick up by reading some of the rightwing blogs. It is fascinating to see that some of them really do believe that the earth is 6000 years old, and that evolution is bogus. Really. Some of them really do believe that if we do not continue in Bush's Iraq debacle, we will have sharia law imposed upon us. Really. Some of them think that scientists are banding together to dupe us into believing in global warming, even though it snowed a few times this past winter, so the left wing can impose socialism on them. Really.

But this morning, I was greeted with this gem: " . . . many of us have been concerned about the unilateral imposition of homosexual marriage upon the nation by judges . . .". Folks, that is funny.

Here is my open letter to the judiciary, just in case the right wing is correct about this:

Dear Judge __________,

I would much prefer it if you would not unilaterally impose homosexual marriage on me, but I understand that it is going to happen anyhow. Well, if that's the case, I humbly entreat you to consider the following traits I would like in my homosexual spouse. I would like him to be wealthy, and generous. It would be great if he shares my love of cooking, and I would prefer it if you could find me a non-smoker and non-snorer. Looks aren't very important to me (at least in men), but if he wore the same size clothes as I do, that would have some obvious advantages.

Oh, and if he happens to have a remarkably low libido, I would appreciate that, as well.

Thank you for your consideration of this humble request.

Gone Mild

I don't think those requests are unreasonable. After all, except the snoring issues, I like to think I'm quite a catch.

Vick and Bush

I agree with the disgust people are directing toward Michael Vick.

My only question is whether he his treatment of his dogs is any less humane than Bush's treatment of uncharged prisoners. At least Vick isn't using our tax money to fund his sickness.

Why Compound the Tragedy of Bike Wrecks?

Mike Hendricks and bike activists are pushing to get new laws enacted to increase the punishment of drivers involved in fatal bike wrecks. ". . . To get the motoring public’s attention, we need harsher legal penalties when driver error is involved in taking a life. Something more than the wrist slap and less than vehicular manslaughter, as prosecutors won’t normally bring the felony charge without proof of intent or impairment." I hope our legislators are as wise as our prosecutors, and reject the "do something, do anything" foolishness of the bike activists, for the good of the non-biking majority.

I appreciate bicyclists. Their low-carbon, low-noise form of transportation doesn't increase our country's reliance on foreign oil, and their fitness is admirable. If I had a shower and closet at my office, I'd be tempted to do a two-wheel commute in good weather.

I've heard plenty of stories from bikers about people throwing things at them from cars, and I've read about the sad deaths resulting from collisions. And I support enforcement of current laws, including assault and battery, and vehicular homicide where they are violated. We all want to prevent any bad thing from happening to anybody, but it's a hard world out there, and that's why we have our laws.

Now, the truth is, we're all negligent at times. Nobody drives a bike or a car with the hyper-alertness it deserves. We all fiddle with radio buttons, we all daydream about stuff, and a lot of us make and take phone calls. And none of us expects to hit a car, much less a bike. 99.999% of the time, we don't.

I've been in wrecks caused by my own negligence. So have a lot of people. Now, by the grace of God, my wrecks haven't hurt anyone. I've had a couple rear-enders, and we've exchanged insurance information and moved on with our lives. If Hendricks and the Missouri Bicycling Federation had his way, and if a bike had been involved in one of those accidents, I would have gone to jail.

No. Just because some bicyclist decides to take a more dangerous way to get to work, I don't think the rest of us ought to be exposed to prison time if we change the radio station.

The root of Hendricks' problem, and that of the rest of the Missouri Bicycle Federation, is perfectly illustrated by the context he uses to discuss the issue. A couple of bike riders died on August 5, and, as Hendricks says, "almost two weeks after the loss, we don’t know much more than that." So, we don't know what happened. We don't know if the motorist did anything wrong at all. We don't know if the bikers made a fatal mistake. We just don't know.

We do know that it's sad, though, just like every accidental death.

Hendricks starts his column, "I didn’t know either of them. But I still felt duty-bound to haul my bike to Longview Lake for this week’s memorial ride in honor of Larry and Sierra Gaunt."

I understand that it is cathartic to do something essentially meaningless as a way to respond to the senselessness of death. So, if he wants to go ride a bike in a safe place, I fully support him in his chosen way of acknowledging the death of the Gaunts. That's just fine. If you want to ride your bike in circles for people you didn't know, you go do that. Sometimes, it feels good to do something, do anything, to respond to the randomness of death.

But when you want to use your irrationality to threaten the rest of us with jail time, you're going too far. We have sufficient laws to rule our roads. If the motorist that hit the Gaunts did something wrong, he'll be charged under the laws that apply to all of us. Who knows what grief he may be suffering already - I know it would shake me terribly, even if I were totally innocent.

But for the bike advocates to use this case, about which none of us knows much at all, as a rallying point to threaten us all with jail is just ridiculous. I am truly, deeply, sincerely sorry for the loss that the Gaunt family has suffered. But I'm counting on my legislators to refuse to join in the "do something, do anything" response their sad case provokes in people like Hendricks.

Early Edition - Gone Mild?

Hearne Christopher has a piece in this morning's paper about the Wheel Drive-in closing. Gone Mild readers knew about it 14 months ago.

On Sunday, the Star wrote about the renaissance of Troost. Gone Mild visitors read about it 18 months ago.

Unlike some bloggers, I don't believe that this shows that the Star is ripping me off for story ideas - they're not. I am just wishing that my prescience was focused on the business page or the lottery results instead of the fluff.

Dover Beach and Iraq

I don't know what's going on in Iraq. Neither do you. Each of us must rely on information that is gathered by others, condensed by others, and presented by others. Even if you're visiting this blog from a laptop in the Green Zone, you don't really know what's going on 20 miles away.

For months, though, we've been promised that we will be getting a status report from General Petraeus. While I didn't really have high hopes for the impartiality of a report that amounts to a self-evaluation, I was at least looking forward to a report that would be a military assessment instead of a political argument. After 4 plus years of rightwing cheerleaders telling us how wonderful things are, and 4 plus years of lists of dead American soldiers every week, it would be nice to have someone in command stating his view of where things stand militarily.

We learned earlier this week that the Petraeus Report will not happen. There will be no Petraeus Report. The White House will write the report. And it's even worse than that. The White House will write the report "with inputs from officials throughout the government," which means that we will get a thoroughly vetted and processed version with every spun nuance to be found within the Bush Regime.

This morning, I am as disgusted by our federal government as I've ever been. From Powell's bogus photos of chemical trucks during the marketing campaign to the embedded reporters at the beginning of the war to the suppressed photos of coffins and casualties all the way up to the White House Report (f/k/a Petraeus Report, and any news outlet that refers to the "Petraeus Report" after this news will be playing along with an Administration lie), the American public has consistently been denied access to the unvarnished truth.

I am not an informed citizen. You are not an informed citizen. When you vote, you do so based upon deeply flawed and biased presentation of controlled information. If you're a rightwinger, you might believe that the mainstream media are the source of misinformation. If you're a progressive, you believe that the Bush Administration is lying to us.

We're both correct, and Matthew Arnold comes to mind:

And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.

Welcome to Dover Beach.

It's Not About the Judges

One of the bits of "wisdom" that both parties have picked up on over the past decade or so is the importance of "wedge issues" to excite "their" voters and get them to show up at the polls on election day. The ideal wedge issue is one that your people are passionate about, but the other side is less interested.

The battle over the Missouri Plan is a wedge issue.

Stem cells are a decent example. If you believe that stem cell experimentation is murder, you are motivated to show up at the polls and save lives. If you believe stem cell research is simply a promising area of medical advancement, the accepted wisdom is that you're less motivated to get up and vote. Preventing murder with God on your side ought to generate more votes than supporting a bunch of nerds in lab coats doing stuff you don't really understand. So, if you want religious conservatives to show up at the polls, put stem cells on the ballot as a wedge issue. Other examples include the minimum wage, gun control and gay marriage.

This year, the Republicans are relying on activist judges instead of stem cell-murdering scientists to get their voters to the polls.

They've started laying the groundwork for their attack on the Missouri Plan already. They've tried to paint Chief Justice Laura Stith into a corner by making silly requests for meaningless documents. They've tried to falsely accuse the Nominating Commission of being "secretive". They've run billboards raising the specter of "activist judges", without being able to name a single Missouri state judge who qualifies for that flexible label.

The funny thing is, life without the Missouri Plan would be worse for all of us, Republicans and Democrats. That's why we're seeing Republican ex-judges and lawyers doing their best to stop this wedge issue. That's why Republican ex-Chief Justices have come out in favor of the Missouri Plan. That's why Lathrop & Gage evicted Jeff Roe from their offices after they started to get calls questioning their smelly alliance with the loudest opponent of the Missouri Plan.

Now, imagine for a moment that you are a conservative republican (I hope that's a stretch for you). Think for a second about having elected judges interpreting our laws and running our courtrooms. Think about the scoundrels and rascals those democrats have gotten elected statewide in the past, and think about the trends in republican popularity. Think about Chief Justice Bob Holden running our Supreme Court. Think about who would get elected to be our trial judges in Kansas City and St. Louis - where most big trials happen. Do you want Judge Coe handling your divorce?

Nobody intelligent really wants the Missouri Plan to go away. Not even Jeff Roe. But they are willing to risk damaging Missouri's judicial system for a one-time shot at motivating some ill-informed voters to the polls so they can vote against non-existent activist judges.

Let's hope that those who care about our judicial system more than about the next election win out.

What's the Going Rate for Backroom Deals?

Apparently, a cool thousand dollars is not large enough to trigger the gag reflex of our Jackson County Legislature.

Yesterday, the Jackson County legislature was going over the COMBAT Funds, and Theresa Garza noticed an unusual item - a thousand dollars is being directed to crime activist Alonzo Washington for a decal on his car. No, I'm not kidding -

A brief flare-up among Jackson County legislators occurred Monday over a proposal to give $1,000 in COMBAT anti-drug tax money to anti-crime activist Alonzo Washington.

Washington plans to display the COMBAT message on a vehicle he uses to visit crime scenes in the inner city and urge members of the community to provide tips to police.

I have nothing against Alonzo Washington - I admire his dedication to fighting crime. BUT, I have a huge problem with paying him a thousand dollars for putting a COMBAT sticker on his car, and I appreciate Theresa Garza having the good taste and courage to question this bit of sleazy misappropriation of my tax dollars.

For her efforts, she got lectured by convicted criminal James Tindall. He called her picky for raising a question over $1,000. Can you imagine the gall of Tindall - who was convicted of tax fraud daring to speak to anyone about how to spend money on crime prevention??

Sadly, Garza backed down, and did not oppose the thousand dollar sticker. Apparently, backroom deals for COMBAT funds are okay if they're only four figures . . .

Visiting

Over the weekend, we took Sam to the airport after a quick ten day visit. We also bought Ali a suitcase, so she can start packing for her semester in Budapest. For a few days there, we had noise and inside jokes and rollicking battles over who drove which car. It was a flashback - it was a richly detailed encore presentation of a few years ago. A few times, I simply fell silent, not wanting to break the spell.

It was a fine visit, but it was only a visit. Somehow, in the signing of New York City leases and part-time jobs, the balance shifted. Not long ago, he lived here, but went to school in New York. Now he lives in New York, but came back for vacation. His "stuff" is mostly in New York - the closet full of Star Wars items is only nostalgia.

Ali, on the other hand, has lived here this summer. We've had the luxury of time, so that we could spend it in bickering over plugged in hair straighteners and who does the dishes. But it's about to end, and we'll be driving her to the airport, too, for a flight to a country I've never seen, full of people speaking a language I've never heard. Chances are strong that her balance will shift before she returns home, or over the next summer. Next time, or the time after that, she will visit us instead of live with us.

I'm proud of them and wouldn't have it any other way. If the choice is whether to have them visit us or move back home because they couldn't find their places in the world, I'll gladly host their visits.

Sometimes, though, I wish the calendar would roll a little slower.

I Guess We Got Fooled Again

Claire McCaskill has done it again. On Saturday, when faced with one of the biggest issues to define what kind of country we will be, Claire McCaskill joined hands with the Republicans and voted against those of us who elected her. She was one of 16 democrats who cashed in liberty at the pawn shop of political expediency. In return, she received nothing more than an illusion of security wrapped around the threat of a police state.

If you want to read a full-throated roar of disappointment in our supposedly democratic senator, go read this post by the much-loved Blue Girl, Red State blog. A hint at her perspective on the matter may be gleaned by the labels she uses for her post: betrayal, cowardice, FISA, McCaskill (Claire).

Sadly, it's the second time she has had an opportunity to stand up for America, and chosen, instead, to cave to the Bush Administration. Back in May, she was one of the Democratic sell-outs who voted to support Bush's escalation in Iraq. We've seen how that has worked out, haven't we?

Defenders of McCaskill point to her support on the little things, like the largely symbolic minimum wage increase. Well, yes, she's not a perfect clone of Jim Talent, but she can be counted to vote exactly as he would when the big issues come up to the table.

I remember being incredibly proud of Missouri when we tossed out Jim Talent and embraced what we thought would be change. I remember listening to Claire's promises of changed courses and standing up to the Bush Regime, and I fell for it hook, line and sinker. Now, we are stuck with Jim Talent in a skirt, and I don't have any hope that a real Democrat will be able to defeat her in a primary and then go on to win a general election.

If the election were held again today, knowing what I know, I honestly don't know that I would vote for McCaskill again. Talent was a once-in-a-lifetime example of charisma-starved weakness, and I think I would rather have him in office doing the Bush Regime's dirty work, rather than being stabbed in the back by someone who told us she was one of our own. And we would have the opportunity to elect a Democrat with principles in 2012.

Update on Save the Mango Room and Other Independent Restaurants! - Pizza Edition

Let me state right up front that there is no "best pizza" of Kansas City. Monogamy may be a preferred state for human relationships, but only a hopeless and joyless dogmatist would deny himself the joy of polyamourous pizza-eating. Even the restaurants themselves encourage infidelity, with their several styles and plentiful toppings. "What do you want tonight, Dan?", they ask coquettishly, whispering of mushrooms and canadian bacon, while hinting that they're willing to go all the way to anchovy, if only I ask.

And I have loved them all. Each pizza has some measure of goodness, some essence of the Platonic form of pizza, bubbling up in the cheese, sauce and crust. From the crappiest frozen pizza to be found at the crappiest Aldi store, to the snobbiest, most absurdly gourmet version elegantly served at an over-priced restaurant, they all have some essential attraction. Like only a few things in life, even a bad pizza is good.

But some pizzas are better than others. Some crusts have that texture that makes it sing. Some restaurants have mastered the light charring of the edges, or use a sauce that transports you to a spicy heaven. Not to mention toppings - some places excel in making the toppings an integral part of the plan, instead of simply chunky stuff to break up the monotony of a cheese pizza. And some other restaurants have a way with cheese that makes a simple cheese pizza a study in perfection.

And let me state flatly that you are hurting yourself and all of us if you buy chain-restaurant corporate pizza. Pizza Hut, Domino's, Papa John's and their ilk exist in a confluence of ad agency manipulation, consumer stupidity, and the minimum-wage economy. By dressing people in ugly polyester and having them deliver standardized pizzas, they rob us all of a bit of human dignity. Like waking up after a night at a strip club, both you and the stripper feel a little diminished for that sad bargain, and you don't want to think about where your money's been.

So let's talk about the girl next door instead. Good, Kansas City pizza is all over the city. Here are the top five, in my experience, which I will acknowledge is somewhat limited. I rarely drive more than a few miles for a pizza - if I'm going that far, I am probably in search of a meal more ethnic or fancy. So, Xavier Onassis, I can't include your much-loved Dish from Liberty, though I have enjoyed the frozen version.

1. Waldo Pizza: Their St. Louis-style thin-crust is the bomb. Personally, I love it with crispy bacon, which brings me back to a specific childhood meal my sister and I had with my Dad after visiting Forest Park in St. Louis, but it's not sentimentality that makes this pizza great. Snappy sauce, crispy crust and provel cheese make it a huge favorite.

2. Antonio's Pizza (couldn't find a link): On Main next door to the Grand Emporium, it's thick pizza is the yang to Waldo's thin yin. A slice will fill you, and they don't scrimp on the toppings.

3. d'Bronx Pizza (same problem): Big, floppy New York style pizzas. Amazing. Go ahead and put garlic on it. I like it with chopped up meatballs on it, too.

4. La Cucina di Mamma (again - what is it with these pizza places??): The newest and most snobby place to land on my list. Jake from Bella Napoli (their #1 spicy is the best sandwich in the world, bar none) opened this place right next door to his Italian market. Their pizza is "authentic" like you'd get in Italy, with big bubbles in the crust and cheese that deserves to be eaten on its own. The tomato sauce is astounding. This pizza deserves to be on a magazine cover.

5. Minsky's: I almost went with Pizza 51 here, but Minsky's got the nod because it has history. For 30 years, they have been serving up pizza pies in Kansas city. Their pizza is classic American pizza - medium crust, thickly coated with cheese, and a slightly sweet sauce that kids love. This is soccer-mom pizza at its best - not anything fancy or gourmet (though they'll make those, too, if you ask), but good value with plenty of locations. Minsky's is the closest competitor to Pizza Hut on this list, and wins hands down.

The ranking is not a ranking - the love of pizza calls for different pizzas at different times. Any of these are welcome in my home any time.

(If you want more pizza blogging, check out Chimpotle's piece on Johnson County pizza, or this post about Johnson County pizza, and the ensuing discusson over at Tony's Kansas City.)

Danny Gibbons on Koster, Missouri Plan, and AG Tensions

A friend of mine was flying home from St. Louis the other evening, and found herself seated next to two brash young republican types. What follows is her account of her enlightening trip, enhaned only by my bolding of my favorite parts:

The kid by the window starts giving his compatriot a crash course in Missouri politics, and I can't help but overhear him. Turns on that he first goes on to say what a huge deal for Republicans in Missouri the Chris Koster switch is, and how everyone in the Republican party is just shocked. He goes on to say that Koster had this big problem with wanting to support stem cell research which "isn't a Republican issue", but that Koster had been a good Republican soldier for Medicaid cuts, and MOHELA, and all that, so basically they are all just shocked. He then goes on to posit that the real reason Koster left the party is that he is worried about running for MO AG against the kid's dad in the Republican primary, which is when I figure out that the kid is Danny Gibbons, 20-something son of Michael Gibbons, the illustrious Republican President Pro Tem of our state senate, if it even deserves that title anymore.

The kid then turns his attention to the recent Supreme Court panel, where he states that the whole deal was totally unfair, because the best candidate who had applied, and whom our illustrious governor had clearly indicated that he expected to be on the panel, is the kid's dad-Mike Gibbons again. He says that the Repubs are all in shock and anger that Gibbons didn't make the panel after the governor indicated that he wanted him on the panel, and the fact that Gibbons didn't make the panel is proof that the system doesn't work, and that the selection is not non-partisan. You would have been proud of me; I did not jump into the conversation to point out that failing to put a guy on the panel for the Supreme Court who is barely a practicing lawyer, let alone isn't a judge, and who apparently doesn't really have much of a commitment to the position, since he is running for Attorney General at the same time, can hardly be considered partisan, but I just keep listening, in awe and horror, as the kid goes on to try to explain that this is what is wrong with the Non-Partisan Court plan-it clearly is partisan because the sitting governor can't get any political hack appointed to the Supreme Court at the snap of his fingers. The kid then goes on to say that Blunt is not going to appoint anyone from this panel, and that the Repubs plan to use this as a big campaign issue.

The kid then goes on to say some more interesting stuff, like that his mom doesn't really want his dad to run for AG, because she doesn't like Jeff City and because she doesn't want to have to give up her job, and she makes as much as the dad.

So, it appears the Republicans are going to refuse to appoint any of the three highly-qualified attorneys on the current panel (including a Republican Ashcroft appointee) and try to use the Missouri Plan as a wedge issue to drive zealots to the polls, and it appears that they are shocked that a "good Republican soldier" like Koster defected over stem cells, which is "not a Republican issue" - just another wedge issue they use.

Normally, I dislike people who talk loudly on planes. Sharing your insider political knowledge with a planeload of people is rude, and not necessarily wise.

A Word About my Agendas

Frequent commenter Mainstream commented here yesterday with a complex analysis of the agendas and intrigue behind the David Martin/Beth Gottstein flap I wrote about yesterday. It was an impressive and partially accurate assessment of who supports whom and how an article in the Pitch about one subject is really a result of a different subject and how my criticism of the Pitch really means that I'm supporting Funk (yet again) because Funk opposed . . . At about this time, I had to stop reading because it gave me a headache.

Here's the truth, just so it is out there on the table. I like and support Funkhouser, which means that I criticize his decisions when I think they're wrong, but I object to criticism of him when he's not wrong. I like and support Beth Gottstein. Here's a shock - I like and support Jason Kander, too. I like a few politicians, I don't like a few politicians (as politicians, that is - I have no deeper feeling about them), and I'm on the fence about all of them.

I can assure you that I am in on no hidden conspiracies or media manipulation machines. (If I were, though, I suppose I'd probably deny it, but I think those who know me know that I'm contrarian enough to not go along with something like that.)

Here's the way all that plays out on this blog. I read the paper and blogs, and I see something negative on Funkhouser. 95% of the time, by the time I post about it, it has been sliced, diced, and processed by someone who has an strongly anti-Funkhouser bias, such as Tony's Kansas City or the KC Blue Blog. I'm trying to be fair here, but it's not unheard of that somebody will go far afield in writing about whatever the issue is, by exaggerating its impact, by screwing up the facts, or by just being outright mean and nasty. So my piece will usually be a response to one of those reactions, and we're off to the races, with the anti-Funk people thinking that I'm arguing that he's perfect, or that I'm transcribing copy straight from his press office.

Some confusion arises out of story selection. I don't write about every local story - only what catches my eye and seems worthy of comment. So, if someone writes something unfair about someone I don't admire - let's use Matt Blunt as an example - it probably won't catch my eye. Sometimes it does, and I will voice my opinion that criticism is over the line or whatever, but the truth is that I don't read it as critically. If someone writes something negative about someone I like, I do read it a lot more critically, and I might find something to write about. If David Martin has done his unsourced hatchet job on someone I don't like, I probably would not have noticed it.

Sadly, that's about all there is to the story of my agendas. I will criticize and have criticized Funk when I think he's wrong. Even if he's wrong, though, I will criticize and have criticized those who go crazy in their attacks. There's no chess game going on here - I'm just writing about what catches my eye. If I write a piece slamming or defending anyone or anything, it does not mean that Funk or Gottstein or Kander or anyone else agrees, or wants that opinion published. And even I reserve the right to change my mind. So, please, don't waste your time on venn diagrams and heavy analysis.

Journalism, Blogging, and David Martin in the Middle

I am frequently amused by bloggers who get full of themselves and start to think of themselves as journalists. (I won't link to any examples - my most frequent critic [the one I live with] says I've been too mean lately.) Simply stated, journalism is similar to much of blogging in that it normally consists of timely writing on current events. But journalism has the added burden of carefully checking facts and getting reliable and verifiable sources, whereas bloggers can, and do, let a story fly based on an email or a suspicion. It's a huge difference, and an important one - I wrote about it here when Dan Margolies of the Star called me to try to find sources on a (true) story I had published based upon an email and a suspicion. We both wound up writing about the same thing, but I did it as a blogger and he did it as a journalist (only after he had confirmation of the facts). Journalists don't publish stories based on rumors and conjecture.

That is, unless you are David Martin of the Pitch. You see, David seems a little worked up that the Wall Street Journal (a source of real journalism, at least until Murdoch gains control) wrote about a small demonstration of Minutemen outside Beth Gottstein's place. David missed the story when it happened (even though he claims he's been "reading about" the Minutemen since someone else at the Pitch wrote about them), and now, egg all over his face, he wants to get to the bottom of this tiny facet of the whole Semler story.

Humorously, he seems surprised that Beth didn't want to talk to him when he shows up, flash photographer in tow, and insists on grilling Gottstein about the demonstration outside a meeting. Ambush journalism has its place, but not when the topic is a 5 week old demonstration consisting of a few Minutemen waving signs outside a plaza condo. In that context, it's just another form of harassment, and Beth treated the jerk like a jerk. Good job, Beth. Too bad you didn't have some mace for him.

Gottstein showed a lot more class than she needed to, and called him up to give him the interview he wanted. In it, he accuses her of making up the demonstration, and demands to know where the Wall Street Journal got its story. Beth, having moved past this 5 week old story, refuses to play his game, and rebuffs his attempts to stir up another fight between herself and the Minutemen crazies. She, like everyone else, knows that if she gives him a quote about the demonstration, he'll use it to provoke another one, and nobody except a failing "journalist" would benefit from that.

In other words, David Martin just got outscooped by the Wall Street Journal and outsmarted by Beth Gottstein. It's been a bad week, and he's feeling fussy about it. He's forced a photographer to invest time in this fool's errand, and he has no story. People must be kind of chuckling at him around the office.

Instead of being a journalist and sticking to the verified facts, David Martin attacks. He actually publishes an article based on his unverified suspicion that the demonstration didn't happen. Angry that real journalists found a facet of the story that he had totally missed, he assumes it must be false, because he would have known about it if it had happened.

What's his best piece of evidence? That someone with the Minutemen denies that he knew about it. Note - nothing in Martin's article says the Minutemen denied it happened, but a person who was not tied to the demonstration denies that his nutcase organization harassed a city councilperson. There's a shocker! That's enough to run the presses for David Martin, though.

Oh, there's one more bit of evidence, but it contradicts Martin's position. The Minutemen were gathering for a protest in Topeka later that day, so the thought that they decided to raise two kinds of hell on their trip, when they already had their signs painted, makes a fair amount of sense.

Laughably, Martin ends his article with an accusation that Gottstein is not telling the truth, and that she is stirring things up by embellishing the truth to make herself a victim.

David Martin, you have no facts. All you have is a suspicion, and a large dose of frustration. A blogger might run with that, but a journalist most definitely would not. Talk to some of the journalists in your office, and maybe they'll take the time to explain the difference. They pay attention to the difference, and publish their non-journalism on their blog, where it belongs, instead of in print. On the other hand, they might refuse to talk to you, just like Beth Gottstein did, because you cannot be trusted to act like a journalist.

Show Me, Chris Koster

Chris Koster has switched parties, and I, for one, welcome his participation as a Democrat. I can't claim to be surprised, either. Way back in May of 2005, I identified Chris as a "legislative roundheels", and pointed out that "there may be a shred of dignity and conscience underneath all that shallow self-promotion and naked ambition".

Rumor has it that he is considering a run for Attorney General. I've already voiced my opinion on Koster's candidacy for AG:

Chris Koster is a pretty boy candidate who seemed like he was on the fast track to Republican prominence. He's a smart guy, and even tells the truth once in a blue moon. “There is a sense in this building that if an interest group brings four really bad ideas to the table, we are obligated to pass at least one of them because they are our friends,” Koster once said when the insurance companies tried to gain virtual immunity for their misdeeds. Unfortunately, Koster's conscience is up for the highest bidder. Even when his gag reflex was triggered by the insurance companies' avarice, it was only after he had started working for a trial lawyer.

Most damning for Koster, though, is that he has hired Jeff Roe. Roe has shown himself to be incompetent at anything other than self-promotion. His career is over, after he single-handedly sunk Becky Nace's campaign for mayor. Dozens of people told me that she was their favorite candidate, but they refused to vote for her because she hired him. One of the biggest fights in the Gottstein/Gamble race grew out of a rumor that Gamble had hired Roe - the Gamble people viewed that as poisonous slander. Well, Koster sunk his own campaign when he hired Roe. Neither Koster nor Roe has a discernible shred of morality.

The fact that Koster has fired Roe and joined the party with a conscience doesn't quite get him onto the list of acceptable candidates, though. Let's remember - this is a guy who honestly thinks that Roe's tactics are okay, and is willing to pay Jeff Roe to work on his behalf. Does that sound like anyone you want to be associated with? Does that sound like a Democrat you can support?

Again, I welcome Chris Koster to the Democratic Party. I look forward to stuffing envelopes alongside him, and manning phone banks. I look forward to seeing Chris raise funds for good Democratic candidates, and work on their behalf. In a few years, after he has done those things, I might even consider backing him in an election as a Democrat.

But, please remember, this is the Show-Me State. Chris Koster has shown the Republicans. Let's be careful about what he's showing us.