35mm Kansas City Camera

Seventh Annual Samba in the Snow Parade 2011

2011-02-27T20:27:00.000-08:00

Feb 19, 2011: Somewhere in the alternate universe where Kansas City Midtown meets Abbey Road

The Kansas City Midwest and national Blizzard of 2011 - Snowpocalypse

2011-02-01T21:18:00.000-08:00

Round 3pm Mon Jan 31, 2011

Yosh's infamous West Bottoms loft is no more ... lost lease

2010-08-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

July 26th marked the end of an era for an underground West Bottoms event space that had stitched together the wayward strands of Kansas City's fringiest tribes of artists for the past two years. Informal "tribes" of fire performers, hoopers, drummers, jugglers, spinners, and dancers all flocked towards the semi-secret loft space subleased by four men, but commonly referred to as Yosh's Place. The loft became an important source of community, training, recruitment, and collaboration among the mostly underground performers.

Regularly scheduled events included free-movement dance and spin-jams. The spacious quarters accommodated killer New Years and Halloween parties where invitations consisted mostly of being in the know as to when which events were held. As the loft's events became increasingly popular, the back portions of the loft space were cordoned off and entry restricted to known participants during major events to prevent pilfering and retain private space.

Word of mouth popularity led to increasingly ambitious events which culminated in a Facebook marketed Halloween party in 2009 with a line up of international DJ's and t-shirt merchandising. Success attracted attention from the authorities resulting in the infamous police shut down of the Halloween party of 2009. The cops burst in suddenly and unannounced around 11 pm just as the party was beginning to groove. There was much bellowing and bullying from a mannnish female officer although the party goers grumbled but offered no resistance. The police basis for the shut down was that an undercover agent had purchased a beer for three dollars and tickets to the event were sold to the public without a city permit. The net net was a financial loss and legal hassles for Yosh.

The "rough-use" space was also a haven for photographers, body-painters, artists, and models because of it's north facing windows, second floor privacy, rooftop access, peeling walls, wooden floors, and skyline vistas.

When the landlady declined to renew the lease, opting to convert the space to commercial use, it was the death knell for one of Kansas Cities free-est and least pretentious of spaces.

No public announcement now or ever on where the new fringe-space will re-emerge ...

USA authorities sieze and shut down 73000 blogs

2010-07-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

Latest Federal Strategy - "All your Internets is mine"

It is official, the Obama strategy is now as crooked as the Republicans. Where the Republicans once courted big business campaign dollars, the Democrats have now sided with big media dollars. Proposals have been floated in Congress over the past few months to tax websites such as the Drudge Report, prohibit "unlicensed" citizen bloggers from reporting news, and now the Dems - fearing a re-election rout - have pulled the trigger on protecting big media movie revenue streams rather than protecting the First Amendment. They are now seizing control of domain names and have shut down 70,000 blogs. Yikes, Maybe the American public is too stupid to see the threat. I mean we bought defcit spending, two wars, credit card debt, too-good-to-believe mortgages, allowed lobbyists to run the government. Maybe citizens get what they deserve.

This is the First Amendment:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

This is the First Amendment on the Democrats Watch as reported by TorrentFreak:

"Hot on the heels of recent threats from Vice President Joe Biden and Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator Victoria Espinel directed action at sites offering unauthorized movies and music.

‘Operation In Our Sites‘ targeted several sites. In almost unprecedented action, the domain names of 7 sites were seized and indications are that others – The Pirate Bay and MegaUpload – narrowly avoided the same fate.

Fears remain, however, that this action is only the beginning, and that more sites will be targeted as the months roll on. Indeed, TorrentFreak has already received information that other sites, so far unnamed in the media, are being monitored by the authorities on copyright grounds.

Now, according to the owner of a free WordPress platform which hosts more than 73,000 blogs, his network of sites has been completely shut down on the orders of the authorities."

And it's not just Joe Citizen who is complaining about being squeezed. Here's the way the Obama administration is restricting reporting on the BP spill.

National Hot Rod Association at Topeka Heartland Park

2010-05-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

NHRA Summer Nationals Held May 21 - 23

The smoke is thick and the air is heavy with the smell of fuel and burnt rubber

Wheels squealing, engine screaming, and ground rumbling

Earth shaking, ear-splitting quarter mile drag racers

Drag racers hit over 300 mph on the strip

Flames exit vehicles as they burn to the finish line

The view from the owner's suite

Some say the world will end in fire. Some say ice ...

2010-04-05T06:03:00.001-07:00

SOME say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,	5
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

FAA website map fails to highlight Major East Coast Airport Delays

2009-12-20T14:54:00.000-08:00

You would think the the FAA site would have useful information about airport delays? Not! At 439pm the FAA site shows the DC airports as green dots indicating no delays. In fact, almost every East Coast airport is marked green which means General Arrival/Departure delays are 15 minutes or less. Whatever.

And New York, it's orange, not even red, even though reports are that some people will be missing Christmas because they are stuck at the airport in NYC with 800 flights canceled and some Kansas City parents being being told that their kids can't get a connecting flight out until the 24th or 25th.

Compare to the USA Today Flight Tracker site above which relies on various data sources. The East Coast is ALL RED. This what the public needs to know: How severe are the delays! Wow, I can't wait until the government computerizes all our medical records too.

At least you can get the REAL story on Weatherbug shown above-- Only one DC airport functioning on one runway and 800 flights canceled in NYC!

Sat Nite Kansas City

2009-11-15T17:19:00.000-08:00

Hemline Fashio Show at Crosstown Station

Foundation Performance Art

Foundation Performance Art

Now's the time to grab a great loft space in KCK ...

2009-10-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

When prices are low and property is available, there's no place better than Urban Kansas during the 2009 Autumnal recession. Think about it....isn't this what the seven fat years are all about? Even the sunflowers are still blooming in Kansas. Bicoastal recession gotcha down? This great little fixer-upper sits on some acreage and boasts penthouse River views.

Imagine entering your new estate through a beautiful wild-flower sanctuary complemented by whimsical painted aphorisms and giant alabaster planters

Potential buyers linger in the massive atrium while pausing to admire the soaring two-story ceiling with an authentic urban core look complemented by natural lighting and flow-through ventilation - all the rage these days. Existing giant metal hanging sculptures are a negotiable feature.

Like most high-end units, aesthetics are a major consideration and the previous occupants selected from a refined industrial palette of spectacular wall treatments combined with on site art installations...

which blend seamlessly with the colors of the property's natural setting! They thought of EVERYTHING just so that you don't have to!

The exercise room features a massive floor mounted back massager fit for Gulliver, exposed internal metal beams, warm tile walls, and a nice rustic architectural scale and a gentle trim to the ceiling. But wait THERE'S MORE ...

They say there's no such thing as a bad penthouse view, but hey, you Gotta love a PENTHOUSE view enhanced by artistic glass-artists' custom vision. This thoughtful six panel frame includes acrylic, silica, safety glass, and plein-air. The six frames are designed to reflect the four known elements while also incorporating a quantum electron clouds in the upper left window panel - a knowing nod across the generations to a certain Mr. Heisenburg. The commissioned window frame is titled Mondrian on steroids.

POR

Your adult son STILL living at home despite a PhD in Philosophy. Well, hey, Yo, dude, is it 4:20 yet? This unit comes prefurnished with a vintage-look work-from-home operational office, popular beige tabular file system, and retro desk. Notice the great surface treatments including faux paint peel and a timeclock. And after a hard day at the home office, what could be more desirable than (drum roll please) .....

His very own personal wet bar?!!!

Safety is always a consideration for the discerning buyer, so all emergency exits are handy and clearly marked.

Maintaining property values is always a sensitive issue. Suffice to say that city inspectors are vigilant in documenting any neighborhood code violations and eviction notices are issued only when informal methods of communication have failed.

Bargains like this don't last, so don those red slippers and scurry on over to the Heartland! Personal guided tours available from our team of experienced and evolved real estate professionals.

How to Find, Create, and Install Nokia 5800 Xpress Wallpapers

2009-10-04T14:19:00.000-07:00

Feeling a little bipolar, undecided, or evenly saintly? Hey, you need some Nokia 5800 wallpapers and a couple-a lithium to even out that nasty psychic jag. Well, the good news is that there is no shortage of 360 x 640 pixel images out there. If you want your own custom papers, you're going to have to do some work and I'll give some pointers below on how to create and how to load wallpapers onto your Nokia 5800. Otherwise, here are some links to existing galleries:

Below are some papers I made from some original images - except for Abraham Lincoln's Watch which I merely downloaded without attribution, cropped, adjusted the colors, and added a dark gradient at the top so I could have a steampunk wallpaper.

And some pointers. You can convert any image on your computer to a nokia wallpaper if you do the following:

crop and/or resize to 360 x 640 pixels jpeg using photoshop or other programs
some images work better than others...
adding a dark gradient at the top helps with text visibility
not all images work as you have to take the layout of the nokia icons into account

Now to get the image on your Nokia 5800 Xpress

connect your Nokia to your computer by USB cable
when the Nokia menu says: Select USB mode => click "OK" mass storage
On your PC/MAC click on the new "untitled drive" which is your Nokia device
Click on the folder "images"
Click on the subfolder "Backgrounds"
drag the wallpaper images from your PC/MAC over to the folder "Backgrounds"
disconnect your Xpress

Now, back to your Nokia:

Click on the "settings" icon => personal => themes => wallpaper
If you don't see the "personal" icon, exit settings and try again
select "image" and a menu will open up with wallpaper images
Scroll down through the wallpaper images and select the image to use
Exit back to the main home screen and your wallpaper will appear as the new background
voila

Nokia 5800 Xpress for MAC OS users and Treo Haters: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2009-09-20T14:25:00.000-07:00

The Nokia 5800 Xpress is designed to compete with the iPhone and Google Phones. It features a touch screen interface and strong music, video, web, WLAN, contacts, and calender capabilities. Over a million sold so far. When my third Treo 600 series began having yet another widely documented failure (phone 1=microphone buzz, battery failure, phone2=microphone buzz, battery replaced,phone3=intermittent microphone failure), I decided that it was time to ditch the Palm brand because of poor build quality. I had owned Nokia phones in the past and had been impressed with the rugged minimalist design, battery life, key pad feel, and simple menus. So, I went online to find a Mac-compatible unlocked t-mobile phone that would have:

Sim card
Mac compatible
fully functional PDA Calender and contact function
good internet capability without charging me for WLAN access,
free GPS,
good photo and music ability,
good internet browsing

The 5800 Xpress came closest given my carrier, calender, and Mac compatability needs. I found a good price on Amazon (eBay is roulette wheel). I have been using the 5800 phone for about a month and here's the skinny:

First off I would rate the phone 4/5 overall and I love this phone!

The Good:

Touch screen works well - way better than Palm
Voice recognition: documentation is scanty, but it is great to just hold the green button down until the phone beeps multiple times, and then say the name of a contact without ever having trained the phone!
Nice internal "buzzer" lets you know when touch screen button was activated
Great handwriting recognition once you train it - better than Palm graffiti
I was easily able to import all my Palm contacts into ical and then into 5800 via Missing Sync
Lots of useful info. about the 5800 on the web
Small, slim, way lighter than the Treo
Great battery life even with WLAN and other apps running all day - better than Palm
Screen sensitive to direction
A fair number of free cool apps
Decent but over-rated camera. Flash can double as penlight with free app.
You can usually access contacts and safely make a call while driving using voice controls
All the calendar events, including recurring events, imported easily from iCal =>5800 except ones that were on specific recurring weekday of a specific week, such as "the second Monday of every month"
I can check the NYT and weather for free every morning using the home and work WLAN
Apps for facebook and flickr addicts

The Bad

You've been spoiled with a Palm so give the Nokia a few weeks... it WILL grow on you
Less hard-button directional controls than the Treo force you use touch screen menus more
Slower navigation to apps than in the hard-button Palm Treo
Touch screen use is not as elegant as the iPhone for photos, etc.
Only 4 "favorites" contacts
You can't sync to the Mac well without purcha$ing Missing Sync which is a great little app.
With Missing Sync for Symbian, wireless sync is no sweat.
Sleek, dark, and easy to drop or misplace so I bought a $14 hard cover
The base sound on the internal speakers is suboptimal
U evr txt on ur treo @ drivng? ... dont even try wit da noki

The Ugly

Look, there's no calender navigation even close to a Palm calender with hard buttons. Just get over it.
You can't use the Nokia Software Updater on a Mac!!! So no Symbian OS updates. Bah.
Many of the hard buttons such as volume, camera, etc., would be great for navigating menus, if only you could redirect them ...
Getting to the WLAN menu is a hassle - so I made it a shortcut on the Main Screen
Documentation skimps some great features such as how to activate voice controls
No hard navigation buttons like the Treo 4-way switch
Speed limit 55: it's just not as fast navigating apps menus as the Treo

Bottom line: I won't EVER go back to Treo. Palm got way too popular too fast and the execs sacrificed customer loyalty and build quality for market share and quarterly profits. Now the Palm is too heavy, bulky, and ridden with build quality problems. I am done with transferring data from one flawed Treo to another. I am happy to get the extra free Nokia features (voice command, easy to hop onto free wifi, easier sync, better music app, etc.,) in exchange for a slower menu driven approach. Look, it's like going from a faster than hell Mitsubishi Evo 7 to a Saab Viggen. Sure it's clunky for the times in the fast tight turns, but there's no flimsy plastic hood scoop to break off and crack the windshield either.

Unique City Fitness Center Pilates1901 Opens at 43rd and State Line

2009-09-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

Natural lighting, hardwood floors, and exposed brick

Say goodbye to that old funky gym. A new urban style fitness center combining Pilates1901 studio, Personal Advantage Training facilities, and Lululemon Athletic Wear has opened at 43rd and State Line Road. Headed up by local entrepreneurs John Benz, Tina Sprinkle, Scott Lofquist, and Petra Boerigter, the refinished space features naturally illuminated open and spacious interiors with exposed wood beam ceilings, hardwood floors, large exterior windows for natural lighting, and exposed brick walls. Dedicated areas include an aerobic fitness station, two Pilates Reformer rooms, a dedicated Lululemon retail space, kitchen, showers, and a personal trainer one-on-one gym area. Lululemon is a high-end retailer of yoga and training apparel. Lululemon clothing and accessories combine light weight moisture-wicking fabrics with comfort and stretchability.

Dedicated small class Pilates Reformer training room

Pilates1901, headed up by Sprinkle and Lofquist, is an expansion of their former Pilates business Creative Body Balance.

"We had outgrown our old space and our business was expanding despite the recession." explains Sprinkle. "We had focused on creating a fun exercise environment where clients could achieve real results at reasonable rates in a small class environment. This, combined with Stott certified trainers and online scheduling of classes allowed our client base to experience true personal gains. We benefited from the word of mouth referrals."

Aerobic Fitness Area

Personal Advantage Training emphasizes one-on-one personal training with free weights, resistance, aerobics, and balance exercises. The site is designed to accomodate personal trainers who demand a high quality environment for their private clients. The business was begun by Benz in 1992 and now includes 10 personal trainers.

John Benz, founder of Personal Advantage Training

Personal Advantage One-on-One Training Area

Urban Architectural Style Combined with Natural Lighting

Damanhur, Italy

2009-09-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

Outdoor Temple at Damanhur

Damanhur is an odd little community in Italy that emphasizes sustainablility. The Damanhurians are best known for a wonderful warren of decorated underground temples that plunge over 100 feet underground. The temples were kept absolutely secret for many years from both the Italian authorities and from all but the inner circle of Damanhurians. Only the most trusted initiates gained gradual knowledge of the full extent of the spectacular temples of humankind, many of which are interconnected by a series of secret tunnels and entrances. The secret entrances are activated by hidden switches, pressure plates, and the like. When the secret doors swing open, or trap-door staircases appear, or small bridge spans appear, one has the sense of being in a Man From U.N.C.L.E fantasy world.

Damanhur Clay Avatar

The image above is from the grounds of Damanhur. Damanhurians create their own clay effigies which they place on the grounds. This one was located on the earth altar. Some representative pictures of the temples are available here.

Communal Teen Residence

The World Drum rolls through Loose Park

2009-08-28T12:05:00.001-07:00

The World Drum is visible in the center

The World Drum travelled to Kansas City Wednesday as part of a global odyssey. Approximately 80 participants including two local djembe-style hand drumming troupes, dancers, and onlookers were present at the Loose Park Pavilion for the unveiling of the drum. Participants were encouraged to carry and strike the drum.

Originating in Norway, The World Drum has criss-crossed the globe several times. It is designed by and in the style of indigenous Norwegian drums. According to the website, "The World Drum itself is the manifestation of the vision, and is to be seen as a symbol of the circle of life and that we all are connected, and it is meant to be a wakeup call to humanity. The vision is to bind people together across race, religion, borders, cultures, ethnicity, colors or political conviction in a common struggle for humanity and Mother Earth." The drum is obtained by contacting the website and is shipped to the recipient. The recipient is responsible for packing and shipping the drum on to the next international site.

Honduras: KC Star Sanchez article misses the point completely

2009-08-23T22:39:00.000-07:00

A rural Honduran boy. 50% of Hondurans live in poverty

According to Mary Sanchez' recent article, Kansas Citians Judy Ancel and social worker Alice Kitchen imply that there is a significant public resistance underway in Honduras that should be videotaped in order to reveal any police repression. First off, it is a sad, regrettable and inescapable fact that well-intentioned unionizing and labor rights activities in Honduras have led to a migration of factories and jobs away from Honduras. I have been going to Honduras annually for four years now performing volunteer work and so I have a strong personal interest in what goes on down there. And I can tell you that my sources (anonymous to protect their personal security) in Honduras say there is no popular resistance to the removal of Zelaya, and that most protestors present are paid to protest by Venezualan operatives. Anyway, that is the word on the street.

Even before the Honduran President was removed, his popularity rating was dismal (25% approval) because of his ill-conceived attempts to build a Chavez-style populist base. At least Chavez' reforms made some sense: When Venezuela was cash-rich due to worldwide petroleum demand, Chavez was able to implement populist reforms by providing benefits to the working class. Now that the petrodollars are scarce, Chavez is in trouble and so are his reforms.

Honduran President Zelaya made some bad left turns and ended up alienating the Supreme Court, the military, the people, the Congress, and even his own party. Some of the reforms he implemented included raising the minimum wage. It is particularly disturbing that Ancel, a longtime labor rights leader is apparently unaware of the catastrophic damage caused by the minimum wage law which has resulted in Honduran factories closing or leaving the country because they could no longer export products at a competitive price. As a result, many Honduran factory workers lost their jobs and even city workers were fired because the budget did not support the minimum wage. Opposition journalists were harrassed and murdered. Unionizing leaders were threatened by their own co-workers who did not want to lose their jobs if the factory closed down! My contacts in Honduras claim that the so-called Zelaya supporters are actually very poor and desperate Hondurans who are paid to protest. It's plausible but hard to judge the truth of that allegation either way. The photos of Zelaya supporters that I have seen show them to be well-dressed.

While it seems to Americans that a minimum wage and unionizing is a good thing, in Honduras underemployment is as high as 30% and 50% of the population are living in poverty. Factory jobs pay five time what workers earn in agriculture! If unionizing leads to job loss, then these workers are going to end up even worse off if labor rights leaders like Ancel head down there with video cameras and stir things up. That is not to say that conditions are not unfair for workers, or that Union Leaders have not been killed by right wing forces in Honduras. However, the cure shouldn't result in workers being even poorer.

The orphanages are full in Honduras

What led to the coordinated effort to remove Zelaya was his defiance of a Supreme Court order prohibiting him from holding a public referendum to determine if there was support for him to run for a second Presidential term (which is constitutionally prohibited). This sounds like a plan similar to that of Chavez. Despite a direct Supreme Court order against this, Zelaya went ahead and ordered the Military to supervise such a referendum. Instead, the military escorted him out of the country. All I can say is, wow! How often does any military leader anywhere in the world refuse the invitation to empower a dictator-President.

The official US response, understandably, has been that there should not be military removal of an acting President because of the destabilizing effect this has on Democracy in Central America. Secondly, military coups bring up bad memories of the dismal US history of interfering in Central American affairs. Fortunately, under Obama the US has finally built some good will in the area. The US condemnation of the forcible removal of Zelaya is reassuring to Leftist governments in the region including Venezuela and Nicaragua. Unfortunately, our military moves into Columbia complicate this situation and may end up unraveling all the good vibes associated with Obama's initial overtures to our Latin neighbors. Central America is still a potential tinderbox, and the destabilizing removal of Zelaya would best have been accomplished with less military involvement and more judicial action. Nonetheless, I think that Honduras has so far weathered a stormy period with a remarkable dedication to the principle of Civilian rule and deference to the Supreme Court as the arbiter of Constitutional Law. The ham-handed actions of Sanchez, Ancel, and Kitchen, while well-intentioned, are not helpful in terms of bringing stability to a Democratic country and US ally during a difficult period. Promoting labor unrest and popularizing and videotaping the dissatisfaction of a vocal minority of hired protestors at this point in time only emboldens Zelayas few real supporters and increases the risk of Venezuela using its resources to meddle, fund, muscle, and nudge Honduras towards a catastrophic long term full-scale bloody civil war so as to destabilize a regional ally of the USA.

Were Obama Staffers Impersonating, Lurking, and Lying at Cleaver Town Hall Meeting?

2009-08-19T20:31:00.000-07:00

Washington-based Obama staffers were in attendance and impersonating local school teachers at the Cleaver Town Hall Meeting a few weeks ago. In this guise, they would strike up conversations with baiting words about anger and socialism according to attendee Jim Gaines.

Exhibit one and only: email I received from a health industry sales guy, Jim Gaines, who attended the event on his own dime as a concerned citizen. I changed the email slightly for clarity only:

My friend David Thompson and I attempted to get an audience with Congressman Cleaver this morning. There were, it seemed like, a couple of thousand people there. He (Cleaver) elected to choose people for one on one conversations rather that speak to everyone at once. Probably not a bad decision given the experiences by his colleagues at past town halls.

The pictures below tell the story. Most everyone outside were chatting or chanting with those of the same ideology.

David and I were approached by a 55ish woman who said, "I have been hearing a lot about socialism and other misinformation. It just seems like there is a lot of anger here".

David commented, "Who said anything about socialism or anger, we haven't."

Long story short, she initially said she was a local school teacher but by the end of the conversation we learned from her that she was an Obama staffer. Her line of discussion seemed to be an attempt to validate what the administration has been saying that everyone at these events were plants by insurance companies that were spreading lies.

As we walked back to the car a woman again, in her 50's said with sarcasm in her voice, "so who do you work for?" We asked, "who do you work for," and she said she was a local teacher. We said, "What do you like about the health care bill? She said I believe we should have compassion for all and everyone should be covered. She then said you probably don't want that. We were struck by her arrogance and sarcasm she wore around her neck. I said that I just want this to slow down and be analyzed more throughly and not have it rushed through Congress. The obvious attitude we came across was that any company that is in business for profit, including health care workers, were wrong.

So I learned that no ones minds would be changed at events like this. All i can hope for is that the polls scare politicians into voting against this bill until it undergoes more scrutiny. Hope this is of interest.

Jim

When I talked with Gaines in person, he mentioned that all the Pro-Heath Reform signs were professionally printed, while the anti were hand lettered. He indicated it was pretty clear who was paid to be there and who wasn't. The NYT backs this up, reporting over $50 million in pro-reform media spending versus $9 million anti.

My own feeling is that you can't be for or against a health plan because of how the plan's operatives behave or how well-heeled either side is. Nonetheless, the media attempt to paint the anti-reform crowd as a bunch of misguided Death-panel-hating Trogdolytes deliberately misses the concerns of those who do the simple math: 1 trillion dollars we don't have divided by the 15 million (46M less illegal immigrants, college Joe's, people making over 75k/yr, etc.,) who really need health care comes to: $66,000 per uninsured person!!! per decade. That's $66,000 per person. Just give them 5,000 each a year and to buy a private gold-plated policy and let's be done with already!

Disclaimer: this is not a political blog and I like Cleaver but disagree with his opinions, but as political newsy-things come my way I will give them a whirl, but I am not a pro and please forgive any errors.

Candy Striper

2009-08-16T11:53:00.000-07:00

Summertime in the West Bottoms: Get your tan on

2009-07-31T22:23:00.001-07:00

Kansas City Fringe Fest 2009

2009-07-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

Fringe artist spray paints model

Glass blower with background Crossroads and hoopster. From what I read on the TKC internets, these Crossroads Hoopsters are a dangerous sort ...or wait, no, I guess it's the Hipsters that are bad.

Drummers on Broadway

Model with spray-painted garment

More spray painted models available

Last Photo: Ranj Niere, Kansas City Flickr Photographer -2009

2009-06-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

Noted Kansas City Photographer Ranj Niere passed away peacefuly last weekend of natural causes. Below is posted information regarding the memorial service. Ranj was well known on flickr.com, an international online photography site where he was recognized for his exceptional flower and artistic model photography. Ranj showed exceptional technical skill in his artistic use of lighting, composition, and depth of focus. Many of his flowers seemingly float in and out of focus, as if to emphasize their ephemeral beauty. His photostream is still available for view as of this posting.

There will be a memorial service to celebrate the life of Randy Niere (you may also know him as Ranj or Ternon) on Friday, July 3, 2009 beginning at 6:00 pm. The site will open at 5:00 pm and the Memorial ceremony will begin at 6:00 pm.

The site is on the grounds of the Kansas City Renaissance Festival, in the SCA Dell. The address is: 628 North 126th Street, Bonner Springs, Kansas 66012. Please use your favorite mapping system for directions. Parking will be in the performer's lot.

Dress is informal. There will be people from many diverse groups in attendance.

The format is informal and if you wish to bring something to contribute to a potluck, you are welcome. His lady specifically asks that people bring pictures and stories to share and especially that people bring cameras if you have them. Ranj would have loved so many of his friends taking pictures.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that you make a contribution to one of the following:

Donations to buy a bench on the Katy Trail dedicated to Ranj Niere

Or if you prefer, please make a donation in his name to the American Heart Association.

Ranj's Niere's final flickr.com photo

Quixotic Fusion Dancers at UMKC Carlson Center June 19

2009-06-20T00:13:00.000-07:00

Vesuvius Tribe Fire Spinners at the Power and Light District, Kansas City

2009-06-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

Fire spinners from the Kansas City based Vesuvius Tribe performed Friday night at the P&L district venue Mosaic as part of the Pique extravaganza.

M is for ... Oh never mind, just take two Lipitor and call me in the morning

2009-06-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

Free Counter

Kansas Flint Hills Konza Prairie Trails Park

2009-05-31T20:38:00.001-07:00

The Konza Prairie Trails located a few hours west of Kansas City host several trails that meander through native tallgrass prairie lands and limestone outcroppings. In the springtime, the wildflowers are blooming and it is verdant, scenic, relaxing and panoramic - unless you are an antsy teenager in which case you might be leaping distant valleys in a single bound.

Jerusalem Cafe in Midtown

2009-05-24T20:34:00.001-07:00

Jerusalem Cafe.jpg, originally uploaded by aeionic.

You can always count on some real urban character on 39th street over by KU Med. Everything from DB Coopers to Starbucks. My favorite eats are at Rumi's where you can snag a Vimto (cherry only, please) which is an incredible cold soda flavor better known in Europe and Asia, and unlike anything produced domestically.

Kids these days

2009-05-16T22:58:00.001-07:00

Kids these days....ya know, back in the day we would buy some 3.2 beer and load up in the VW bug and drive from UMKC through the back roads (Tomahawk) on into Kansas and over to Pogo's, One Block West, or The Merry-Go-Round. Pogo's had the disco lights and the illuminated dance floor. Then we would drive back inebriated. Sounds crazy now, but back then kids didn't wear helmets when riding bikes, dogs weren't leashed or fenced, and no video so the cops did whatever they wanted.

This photo was from an event held west of KC and mostly put together by KC kids. They transported and assembled the music dome, along with sound system, deejay, UV lights and those phat bubbles. They camped out and had there own generators for power. Anyways, the kids these days. Ya gotta hand it to them.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T20:03:00.001-07:00

Not my mom, but Elmira is one of the coolest women I have ever met. She is a Modoc Indian tribe elder and has some crazy stories about government experiments on her Indian land. According to Elmira, they were "banking" cloned human livers in sheep. It was all very hush-hush, and then terminated abruptly and the sheep were slaughtered and buried on her Nevada land. Elmira says the NYT sent a reporter and that there is still some litigation involved.

The Long View at Penn Valley Skate Park

2009-05-04T18:58:00.001-07:00

skatepark kansas city aeionic eos5d mk2, originally uploaded by aeionic.

Girls, tattoos, and skateboarding - Can it get any better?

"Come on and stand your ground for freedom, beauty, truth, and love!" - Moulin Rouge

Gone in 48 Hours: JB Hubcaps Kansas City Missouri

2009-04-20T21:45:00.001-07:00

JB Hubcaps Kansas City Missouri aeionic eos 5d mk2, originally uploaded by aeionic.

This just in from some KICKASS TIPSTERS. When the wheels of the KC economy quit turning (because of MAYOR FUNKY according to king-blogger Tony TKC) then the hubcaps stop falling off. And after the latest slowdown, JB of JB's Hubcaps on 85th street has decided to throw in the towel. It is rumored that a new warehouse is going up on the lot. In fact, the existing shiny-shiny lot that is most often noticed on the way to BB's Lawnside BBQ is going to BE GONE IN 48 HOURS according to 35mm's AWESOME inside sources. It's the passing of an era as JB has had a distinctive roadside presence for over FORTY YEARS. Back in the glory days, JB's shared in the distinctive company of long-gone 85th street KC legend STROUDS.

Danny Cox Folk Rock singer at the B Scott Grounhearts Patry 2009

2009-04-19T20:55:00.001-07:00

Danny Cox Folk Rock singer at the B Scott Grounhearts Patry 2009, originally uploaded by aeionic.

Danny Cox at the 24th Annual Kansas City Ground Hearts party hosted by B Scott

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Easter: Church Iconography: Holy Name Church on Southwest Boulevard

2009-04-11T15:01:00.001-07:00

Church Iconography: Holy Name Church on Southwest Boulevard, originally uploaded by aeionic.

Don't Leave the Farm Except to Return with More Wealth

2009-04-05T17:54:00.001-07:00

This Mission Road photo illustrates the license, bias, and interpretation that the photographer can confer upon a particular scene. The upward angle places the viewer in a passive, crouched, and unnoticed corner of the frame - gazing upwards. In this instance, the black and white treatment makes the profiled wealthy equestrian seem suspect, as if heading out to surreptitiously to raid the hinterlands and bring home more ill-gotton lucre. Further back one sees a spacious and protected Tudor mansion. The sky is ominous, and the deliberate architectural decision to create a protected fortress-suburbia is amplified by the castle-like textures and elements of the the cut limestone wall. I think this is referred to in architectural circles as Upscale JoCo.

Politically divisive is not my style. Nonetheless, this photo was designed to capture the excess of the past decade wherein the the middle class and the wealthy got wealthier. Much of it was paper profit, so if you didn't cash out, the wealth was both transient and illusory. Sorry about that ...

Copan Ruinas Mayan Stelae 12 during the Spring Equinox sunrise with Sacrificial Stone Altar in Foreground: Erected by Smoke Jaguar

2009-03-31T19:17:00.001-07:00

Copan Ruinas Mayan Stelae 12 during the Spring Equinox sunrise with Sacrificial Stone Altar in Foreground erected by Smoke Jaguar Astroarcheology archeoastronomy, originally uploaded by aeionic.

The vernal equinox sunrise as viewed from Copan, Honduras stelae 12. One can see that the shadow cast by stelae 12 during the equinox sunrise falls directly upon the round sacrifical stones in the foreground. Stelae 12 is located seve Km east of the ruins and served as boundary marker and as a Mayan sacrificial altar. Malmstrom noted that Stelae 12 and 10 were located to the east and west of the Copan site, 7 km apart, on a line that marks the equinox sunset on the west and sunrise on the east. From stelae 12, one can see the sun set behind stelae 10 on April 12, which is the date set by the Mayan priests to begin planting preparations for corn.

The 13th succesor, Smoke-Imix-God K (Smoke-Jaguar) was the 12th ruler of Copan and he erected and is memorialized on stelae 12. There is very little compiled information on stelae 12 on the internet, so I have included the following quote:

"City of Kings and Commoners: Copan"

by George E. Stuart
in "National Geographic Magazine" (October 1989, pp. 488-505)

On or about October 14, A.D. 652, Lord Smoke Imix, the Sun
King, 12th in the royal succession, ordered that four carved
stone monuments be placed at widely separated points on the upper
slopes of the Copan Valley in what is now western Honduras. His
reason for this action is unknown. Some experts believe that the
stelae marked astronomical alignments; others, that Smoke Imix
wished to reinforce his ancestral identity with the sacred
mountains surrounding his capital; and still others, that they
simply helped to define the king's domain.
One--labeled Stela 12 in the catalog of the monuments of
ancient Copan--stands solitary on the heights about two miles
east of the modern town. Whenever I am there, I make the trek to
that windblown summit, for I know of no other place in the realm
of the Maya where one can behold in a single sweep the loveliest
of landscapes and so many tangible reminders of the 3,000 years
of human culture that played out upon it.
Here, inscribed in stone, is the most complete chronology of
a Maya royal house. And here, as nowhere else, continuing work
in deciphering the hieroglyphs and artistic symbolism of the Maya
has been matched by that seeking to unveil the finer points of
their society and its everyday life.
If you stand by Stela 12 and know just where to look, you
will spot Stela 10 across the widest part of the valley, about
level with the eye. Like a tiny grain of rice on end, it appears
all but lost amid the fields and foliage. Lower, near the river,
red-tile roofs and white stucco define the living town of Copan
Ruinas.
The clump of dark forest on the near side of town shrouds
the most extraordinary feature of the whole valley--the soaring
Acropolis of ancient Copan, a royal city of the Classic Maya
(A.D. 250 to 900), whose ornate buildings and sculptures, even in
ruin, make it one of the greatest treasuries of art and architec-
ture in all the Americas.
Archaeologists refer to the Acropolis and the platforms,
pyramids, stairways, and plazas that adjoin it as the Main Group
of Copan. The Main Group also holds what art historian Linda
Schele calls "a forest of kings"--stone figures, larger than
life, of Copan's greatest rulers, portraits sculptured almost in
the full round and so laden with the symbols of ancient power
politics and the complex ideology behind it that, even to the
layperson, Copan's art seems unique.

The dirt road to stellae 12 requires either 4-wheel drive or horseback. Furthermore, the final ascent is guarded by a locked gate, so one must obtain permission and a key to enter. To obtain this particular photograph, we left out hotel in Copan at 5:30 AM.

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Girl drinking beer in the crowd at Crosstown Station, Kansas City at the Hearts of Darkness concert

2009-03-27T19:43:00.001-07:00

Girl drinking beer in the crowd at Crosstown Station, Kansas City at the Hearts of Darkness concert

Celtic Forest Art Installation Sculpture and Fire Burning Man 2007 set Burningman b-218.jpg

2009-03-25T20:34:00.001-07:00

Celtic Forest was by artists Laura Kimpton, Bob Hofmann and Jeff Schomberg for Burning Man 2007:

“His wings are gray and trailing, Azrael, Angel of Death, And yet the souls that Azrael brings Across the dark and cold, Look up beneath those folded wings, And find them lined with gold”

Robert Gilbert Welsh

East Bound on the West Bottoms Kansas City

2009-03-24T20:07:00.001-07:00

Kansas City - Beer BBQ Family

2009-03-23T17:12:00.001-07:00

Kansas City - Beer BBQ Family, originally uploaded by aeionic.

It's almost that time of year again....and, yeah, that's Joe the Mission Hills Mailman now happily retired

Town Topic

2009-03-22T21:34:00.001-07:00

Town Topic hamburgers kansas city 2009 aeionic shirley nightshift canon eos 5d, originally uploaded by aeionic.

Shirley has worked Town-Topic for Forty Years. Her daughter for over twenty years, though I haven't been down there for a few weeks and I heard she was gone.

I posted this after seeing in Plog that there is now an opening at Town Topic for a short order fry cook. Hey, I used flip burgers and dip onion rings at the Dog 'n Suds back in the day. One cool thing I learned is that you can dip your finger in the hot-as-Hades french fry oil-baths and have it not come out looking like a zombie-on-a-stick. The key is to dip it super fast and wipe it off immediately. You can do it because it takes time for the heat to transfer into your flesh, but I am not recommending that you try this at home.

Finally - thanks to Tony for giving me a shout out.

Dear Readers - I'll be on Vacation for a Week

2009-03-13T20:17:00.001-07:00

Kansas City rail and grain

The Mona Lisa on Southwest Boulevard

2009-03-12T20:25:00.000-07:00

One of the joys of exploring the interesting areas of the city is never knowing what you might find. And there are hidden gems in KC, some culinary, some graffiti. Sometimes you stumble across them or other times get a lead from someone in-the-know. This work seems to cross between Mona Lisa and Marilyn Monroe. The work is available for viewing on the back side of some buildings between Southwest Boulevard and the railroad tracks, a few blocks west of Rosedale BBQ. This work looks to be a Fem9 and Motor collaborative work. Now, you'd have to be a Braille reader to not recognize the difference in quality between this work and a gang scrawl.

“There are graffiti gurus who do scenes and multiple colors. These folks will practice their art expertise before applying it for public view. They believe they are artists in their own culture.”

Tim Rupel quotes

Please comment...

Tuaca Body Art Ball at The Uptown Theatre

2009-03-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

March 1, 2009: The Tuaca Body Art ball is an upbeat and casual national touring dance troupe sponsored by Tuaca liqueur.

They feature revealing costuming, body painting, a nod to the broad cultural history of music and dance, and a strong emphasis on Americana.

Hope you like your dancers young and talented, but still a little raw. If you haven't seen much body painting or aerial scarf dancing before, it is well worth the visit when they return next year.

They sell out in most cities, but the historical Uptown was maybe two/thirds full.

They were a friendly and approachable crew and after the show they came out and chatted with the audience in the side bar and posed for pictures.

What was that?

Oh, you missed it?

- well it was advertised: it was in The Pitch; there was an article in The Star; but I couldn't find it on The Uptown Theater website. Anyway, to get tix you have to go to the Tuaca website and navigate a while, give a lot of contact information, and print out your ticket which is FREE.

So, about Tuaca: Tuaca is 70 proof Italian liqueur that is served adulterated with a strong overpowering flavor such as lemon, ginger-lime, Red Bull, or Sprite. They are pouring Tuaca like firewater in Topeka and Wichita. The Tuaca I sipped at The Uptown was a decent enough drink.

Anyway, I think that we can expect to continue to see the commercialization of counterculture arts and artists for a number of reasons. First and foremost, there is quality work coming out from American counterculture, maybe not as noticeable in the Midwest, but certainly connected to the national trends and drawing mainstream attention one First Friday at a time. Secondly, as these cultural forms become mainstreamed, they develop recognition, attract a following, and become useful tools for innovative branding campaigns aimed at trendy and edgy consumers. Eventually, they will become as accepted as Jack Daniels, trucker caps and Oldsmobiles.

You're not in Kansas (City) Anymore: Tips for the escape artist

2009-03-09T21:38:00.000-07:00

Here's the fastest ticket outta Dodge. Take a world class stroll around the Nelson Atkins.

Grey pavers complement the achromatic tones of the new addition.
Feel free to meander the grounds

Your own cityscape

Blue Heaven

How to Conform in Kansas City: The Four Step Program

2009-03-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

Sure, Kansas City can be a pretty closed-minded town in many ways. It is one of the worst places for singles in the country, and it is basically a conservative town. But that same conservatism has nurtured a few more hard-working two-parent households and created relatively stable home values compared to, say Vegas or San Francisco. So far, we are surviving the downturn way better than Cleveland, Detroit, or other Midwestern cities and that is in part due to the conservative financial and moral culture.

Of course, those very same values can be reassuring to some but stifling to others. As one who is easily stifled, I am pleased to report that Kansas City does have an active counterculture in the fullest sense of the word: dance; music; art; literature; and food. As I am naturally inclined towards such interests, these will be common blog topics.

One of the counterculture activities I appreciate is exploration of abandoned places. Unfortunately, many of these are being razed for safety reasons and only a handful of abandoned spaces are now accessible. The photo above was from the interior of the now-defunct grain silos located on Southwest boulevard behind the legendary Strasser Hardware store. This grain elevator was a wonderful place to explore since it was open access and there were no signs warning away trespassers. It was in this desolation that I saw the wonderful spray-painted sentiment: CONFORM OBEY BE SILENT DIE

Rosedale BBQ: How to score KC's coldest soda

2009-03-08T19:08:00.000-07:00

Arguably there is better Barbecue than Kansas City's Rosedale's, but you can't beat the neighborhood feel and the local regulars that frequent this lost-in-the-sixties venue. The counter service is always friendly and fast. My experiences at Rosedale's have been winnowed by my sad decline towards veganism. Nonetheless, I have in times past indulged the hearty basic BBQ beef sandwich with a healthy dousing of the tangy BBQ sauce, and a side of greasy fat-cut fries. The meat is well smoked and not too fatty or greasy. And unlike Gates, they don't put the good slices on top and hide the stringy stuff underneath. The sauce isn't quite where it should be compared to Gates or even Arthur Bryants, but it is light-years ahead of that corn syrup treacle called KC Masterpiece. Anyway, after giving up red meat, I switched over to the turkey sandwiches which have a nice smoky flavor and excellent texture--also best doused in the sauce.

Now there is one other Rosedale item that I especially enjoyed; an item that is sadly now on my current list of deleted pleasures as a result of my decision to forgo soda. Of course, I speak of the RC Cola available at the counter in a bottle or a can. This is no Quick Trip almost-cool-to-the-touch soda that one sloths out of a not-so-refrigerated cooler, lugs over to the checkout counter, and then worries to room temperature while the guy in front of you is plunking down loose change for a pre-pay gasoline purchase---oh no no, not at all. At Rosedale's they do things different:

The flat and hefty clunk of an ICE COLD twelve ounce RC can
plunked down on the formica counter in front of you.
So cold that ice beads spatter across the laminate.
She is cold, tense, and taut to your touch.
Pop open her tab and she hisses like a winter cat.
Take her to your lips and she crackles, rushes, and surges in,
a spiteful icy stream of cold vengeance
that eddys, whelms, and then lacerates the roof of your mouth
in a frigid and violent kiss laced with a thousand tiny barbs:
And in this particular moment one vaguely realizes
why it is that you have come back to her:
In order to know briefly what it is to be lost,
deliberately, and beyond all redemption.

And then the icy tides recede,
her cold harsh tongue yields in your mouth,
limp and warm, her sweet caramel notes unwind
and loosen their indolent summery charms
upon your aching tongue

Um, er, yes, so where were we... oh yeah: So, yes, when the summer heat bears down and you are debating whether to go for the syrupy sweet cherry limeade at Winsteads, or pose at Kona Grill with a pallid stemmed Chardonnay; Instead --

Head down to Southwest Boulevard,
Slam down an RC so cold and good
That your summer brain stutters in its thoughts.
Take a walk on the Wild Side baby.