Archives: November 2008

Omega Man’s Last Stand

As a community activist, Alonzo Washington is justifiably praised for helping bring killers to justice. He also has earned criticism for being a vain self-promoter who insults other activists and bloggers — he says they are beneath him. Could the origin of Washington’s real-life crime fighting, as well as his unyielding hostility, be rooted in some horrific trauma? Like, say,…

This week: How to count and what to read

Dear Mexican: I hear all the time that 12 million illegal immigrants live in the United States. Is that true? Who counted them? How did they do it? Is there a turnstile at the border tallying up illegals and stamping their hands with neon-glowing cartoon characters so they can go back and visit their familias? American Patrol Dear Gabacho: Counting…

Letters from the week of November 27

Feature: “Life of Kemper,” November 13 Snot Fair Carolyn Szczepanski’s cover story regarding R. Crosby Kemper III was both affirmative and annoying. Having been the subject of a cover Pitch story quite some years back, I can be especially sympathetic to Mr. Kemper. Yes, the spirit of rebellion and investigative reporting that The Pitch regularly exhibits often puts the paper…

Fantasy Hotel: ShaunCon XXVI

You’re riding through the river valley, and up ahead you see a squat white building behind an inn on the side of the hill. As you approach the door, you see the remnants of fast food meals overflowing trash bins. The scent of microwave pizza floats on the air. Stepping inside, you are faced with glowing screens bidding you to…

My Thanksgiving Feast of Links

By OWEN MORRISFormer New York Times dining editor Regina Schrambling has it right: Food writers (and bloggers) hate writing about Thanksgiving. It’s been the same damn meal for 200 years! By the time you’ve reached 30, you’ve had a full month of nothing but Thanksgiving dinners and should be able to mash some potatoes, follow the recipe for Stove Top…

Stealing Time: Sexy Keith King protects sexy models from dune buggy selling photographer

I’m moving S-L-O-W this morning. Thanks to bottle of wine, Shaun of the Dead and about three-and-a-half hours of sleep! That’s my excuse. What’s yours, Derek Donovan? The Star ombudsman misspelled Abu Ghraib — he spelled it Abu Ghraid — in this post about, uh, misspelling names. I’ve made the correction for Donovan following his handy dandy guide to correction…

Eating out on Thanksgiving: the cheaper places

By OWEN MORRISLet’s face it. A lot of people don’t want to go through the hassle of cooking a special meal at home but also don’t-want-to/can’t-afford-to pay $30 a plate (not including booze or taxes or tip) for a Thanksgiving dinner out. In fact, let’s give this portion of the population a name: my family. As long as your family…

Concert Review: Smashing Pumpkins at Midland Theatre, Night Two

KANSAS CITY – NOVEMBER 25, 2008 Two decades after forming, the Smashing Pumpkins are still transcending grunge and alternative rock. Problem is, those genres no longer exist. Grunge has given way to post-grunge, which is growing too stale for even modern-rock radio. Alternative is now indie, found in dorm rooms and Volkswagen commercials nationwide. In the ’90s, the Smashing Pumpkins…

Now Open: Duchess of Flanders

By OWEN MORRIS The Duchess of Flanders opened yesterday on the corner of 39th Street and Genessee in the space once, a long time ago, occupied by the Nutty Girl. The Duchess in this case is Vivianne Berghman, a native of Belgium who moved to the States eleven years ago and brought some of her home cooking with her. “In…

Daily Briefs: Thanks, y’all

%{}%My favorite new trick, which I learned from the political campaign season, is to ask a question that has absolutely no basis in reality — “Does Barack Obama love his country?” — and then, without actually validating that sentiment, just say, “I really think we have to ask that question.” A rhetorical dick move? Sure. I’m a practical man, y’all,…

The Download: New Old Nada Surf MP3

Yesterday, Nada Surf released all five of the band’s albums together on vinyl in a limited edition box set. Along with the records, the $110 collection also comes with a repressing of the band’s debut 7″, a 24-page book, and the corresponding MP3s including 16 b-sides. Only 1,000 copies were made and each box set will be numbered. Fans and…

Breakfast Buffet: Wednesday, 11/26

%{}% By OWEN MORRISThe word salary is derived from salt. One of the many things I did not know and learned from this article devoted to the world’s greatest spice. Not a good year to be a pecan farmer. In Texas, farmers are having to rely on last year’s crop to meet demand and in Oklahoma, the state is trying…

Grumpy sports commentators lose platforms

By DAVID MARTIN Middle-aged white guys who cover sports in Kansas City are getting harder to find. Earlier this year, Fox 4 sportscaster Frank Boal stepped away from Crunch Time, the 810-WHB radio show he hosted with Dave Stewart (pictured). Jeffrey Flanagan’s Page 2 column appeared in The Kansas City Star for the last time on November 8, a casualty…

Eating out on Thanksgiving: the nice places

By OWEN MORRIS In Pitch Forks this week I included a list of some nicer restaurants that will be open on Thanksgiving. Unfortunately I made an error in one of the listings — but fortunately someone caught my mistake. Here’s the real deal info: McCormick & Schmick’s is serving a choice of a ham or turkey dinner for $18.95 and…

Omega Man’s Last Stand

Alonzo Washington is justifiably praised for helping bring killers to justice as a community activist. He has also earned criticism for being a vain self-promoter who insults other activists and bloggers, whom he says are beneath him.  Could the origin of Washington’s real-life crime fighting – as well as his unyiedling hostility – be rooted in some horrific trauma? Like,…

Lawrence is kryptonite for Heroes

Ever since NBC’s sci-fi show Heroes came back on the air this year, it’s been an interminable mess, causing critics and fans to wonder how the show could’ve fallen from a shining first season to the pandering crap of today. It might all be Kansas’s fault. Categories: News