Hearne: Glenwood Arts & Leawood Movie Theaters to Close

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Hearne Christopher Jr.
Brian and Ben Mossman

Brian and Ben Mossman

This is a little complicated, but you guys can handle it…

On January 25th the Glenwood Arts Theatre – in what’s left of the Metcalf South shopping mall – will go for a dirt nap. While the exact future of the historic, but mostly empty mall has yet to be determined, what is known, is that it will be torn down.

And no way would the Hardy Boys –  I mean Brian and Ben Mossman of the Fine Arts Theatre Group – even consider choking out the kind of dough it takes to lease a brand new movieplex in a brand new mall.

Not gonna happen.

That’s because the Mossman twins have amassed their modest fortunes by rehabbing older, run down theaters on the cheap, mostly with the backing of local movie mogul (financier?) Wade Williams.

At that same time, the five-plex known as The Leawood Theatre in Ranch Mart shopping center at 95th and Mission Road will also buy the farm, but in a far less unseemly manner. Continue reading →

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Steele: New Biz Opportunity–Renting Getaway Cars

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Rich Steele

bank jobThis past Friday the Kansas City area experienced two major crimes…

One was tragic, both were incredibly stupid. What the would-be robbers of  Shawnee gun shop She’s a Pistol and the downtown Commerce Bank had in common was the absence of a get-a-way car.

If our young thugs would only have watched Turner Classic Movies, they’d have known that all good heists culminate with the thieves hopping in a waiting car and speeding off.

They’d also know all such heists end up with the perps dead or in jail. Continue reading →

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Starbeams: Hallmark’s R-Rated Crayons, Emanuel Cleaver Broke & Peyton’s Retirement

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Kelly Urich

crayolahackA weekend hacking incident involving its Facebook page has Crayola apologizing to upset kids and parents.  Hackers took control of the company’s social media web page and posted dozens of links to R-rated sites along with sexual jokes.  Crayola is a subsidiary of Kansas City based Hallmark.  Carol was able to retake control of the page and posted its apologies for the off-color posts.

                                                               *******

Crayola went on to say, we will not bow to terrorists because these colors don’t run!

                                                                *******

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver ranks as one of the poorest members in the house with a net worth of NEGATIVE $2.3 million.  This explains why he received an endorsement from The Kansas City Star. Continue reading →

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Steele: Star, Why Bother to “talk about race”?

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Rich Steele

Screen Shot 2015-01-13 at 9.14.01 AMWhy Bother to talk if the FYI section series– “After Ferguson, let’s talk about race, Kansas City“–is as skewed and dishonest as the last half century of such articles?

The article opens, “In the months since Michael Brown was killed, some among us have been talking a lot about race.”

Immediately across from the article’s opening in the online edition’s “trending stories” is this headline: “Four suspects in fatal gun store robbery charged with first-degree murder.”

After incidents like this one, you can bet your ass people are talking about race.

And what they are saying is what Jesse Jackson said in one of his rare honest moments, “There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery. Then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.” Continue reading →

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Steele: First World Problem Alert!

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Rich Steele

julia_ling_catholic_school_girl_uniform_1_rZrLkU8.sizedWhile students at KC’s Central High are thrilled when they get through another day un-shot, students at Saint Teresa’s Academy are “outraged” because their new student IDs make them look BETTER than they do in real life…

They are sufficiently outraged that they got Fox 4 to do a feature on this looming crisis.

Said STA president Nan Tiehen Bone, “We strive to make our young women feel confident and empowered and a positive body image is so integral to feeling confident.” Continue reading →

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Steele: Some kinds of families ARE better than others.

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Rich Steele

addams-familyHate to be on the wrong side of the barricades during the sexual revolution, but being on the “right” side can be lethal…

Nothing funny about this story, moms.

Beware of your “boyfriends.”

As Fox 4 reports 23 year-old Mirsad Hamidovic, the boyfriend of the mom in question, killed her two year-old son by jumping on him repeatedly and hitting his head against a window sill.  Continue reading →

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Steele: ‘I’m not running for Missouri Governor in 2016’

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Rich Steele

Goldman sachs(AP) Rich Steele said Monday the he won’t run for Missouri governor in 2016…

Like U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill who made the same announcement the same day, Steele said of his current KC Confidential gig, “The work is too important, the job is too rewarding and too fulfilling and the trust that Missourians have put in me — giving me this job— I just don’t feel I can turn away from it.”

A tad more honest than McCaskill, Steele added, “Actually, I’m mostly just afraid I’d get my ass kicked.” Continue reading →

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Sounds Good: Rebelution @ Liberty Hall, Zola Jesus @ the Granada

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Matthew Donnelly

After Coachella did their big reveal last week – which included local darlings, Radkey (!) – Wakarusa got in on the act.  But Waka didn’t roll out its entire lineup, just a little taste.

The biggest name so far has got to be The Roots, which are listed on Waka’s website as the fourth “biggest” headliner for the whole shebang.  Some of the other included bigger names were pretty predictable.  For example, Sound Tribe Sector 9 (“STS9”) is back this year.  They’ve been on the bill 8 out of the 12 years of the fest’s existence.  Ozamatli is another band that was announced, and another one that seems like a been-there-done-that type thing.  Same with Galactic.

To be fair, only about a third of the bands have been announced so far, so the biggest headliners are yet to come.  Is this the year Waka takes a big swing and somehow gets Phish?  Or would that be too much glitter and organic, hand-woven hammocks for Mulberry Mountain to handle?

In the meantime, get back in the game, get off the couch and go see the bands I tell you to. Continue reading →

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Hearne: Glenwood Arts Movieplex Soon to be Homeless

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Hearne Christopher Jr.
The Metcalfe South of Old

The Metcalf South of Old

largeWas a time Overland Park’s Glenwood Theatre was Kansas City’s grandest movie theater… 

A long time actually, because for or34 years until it’s closing in 2001 the Glenwood was hailed by many as Kansas City’s finest. Originally a one holer with a massive for the time 70 foot wide by 35 foot tall screen, it accommodated  more than 800 patrons in luxurious style with plush seats and a luxurious lobby.

When the Glenwood went away in 2001 local movie mogul Wade Williams bought it’s historic art deco marquee and teamed with the Fine Arts Theatre Group to keep the Glenwood name alive by reopening a shuttered theater as the Glenwood Arts in Metcalf South Shopping Center .

And to this day, the Glenwood Arts – now a three holer – showcases mostly art films and commercial movies with artistic sensibilities. Movies like the ones playing currently, “Big Eyes,” “Wild” and “The Theory of Everything.”

And until recently, operators of the Glenwood Arts had hoped to continue to operate the Glenwood Arts with the hope of fitting into developer Lane4‘s renovation of the now closed mall.

Fat chance. Continue reading →

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Steele: Shawnee Shoot-Out Stumps Star

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Rich Steele

my-hands-my-ammo

Without a hint of irony, the Star headlined its Sunday coverage of the lethal Shawnee Mission shoot-out, “Shawnee gun shop co-owner is remembered as a gentle giant and a loving husband.”

The editors apparently do not understand that “gentle giant” has become the punch line of a dark, ongoing joke since the media used that label to celebrate the life of aspiring thug Michael Brown, late of Ferguson, Missouri. Continue reading →

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Steele: Star Uncovers Plot to Keep Kansas Women Out of Office

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Rich Steele

alg-elmo-kathleen-sebelius-jpgSome called the fact that no women currently hold statewide office in Kansas a coincidence–Duh!

But the Star’s Dave Helling prefers the more conspiratorial explanation, namely that “a toxic political culture” has driven the weaker sex away. Confirms state rep Stephanie Clayton, “Politics has become nastier. A lot of women tend to want to avoid the slings and arrows that you get in the political world.”

Earth to Stephanie: Politics is no nastier than it has ever been, probably less. Continue reading →

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Steele: Nicquan, Hakeem, Londro & De’Anthony Never Had a Chance

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Rich Steele

she's a pistol storegWhat’s in a name?” asked Romeo’s underaged honey, Juliet…

Unfortunately for the four youthful murderers of Shawnee gun shop-owner, 44-year-old Jon Bieke, a whole lot. The four were all but doomed the moment their mother–or whomever–stuck these concocted, half-assed names on them.

Although the Kansas City Star insists on categorizing them all as “teens”–as though that were their most relevant common variable–their names signify more than their age group. Continue reading →

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Steele: Star Continues to Fret About Kansas Tax Cuts

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Rich Steele

worried_manKansas City Star editors seem to think that if they run two-thousand or so articles about a possible budget deficit in Kansas they will be able to convince readers they actually care about the Kansas budget…

Now, they warn us about a “Brownback Effect.”

One that is allegedly scaring other Republican governors away from cutting taxes. It obviously didn’t scare voters either in Kansas or across the fruited plain from giving Republicans control of more state legislative seats and legislative chambers than at any time in anyone’s memory.

But the Star can only hope . . .

Rich Steele is a citizen journalist and head of the NSAAS (Non-Smokers Against Anti-Smoking).

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New Jack City: So Much for Airline Service Out of Topeka

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Jack Poessiger

 

images

 

Remember when I chuckled at the announcement of United Airlines non-stop service out of T-Town to Chicago about this time last year?

Two small jet round trips a day, to be exact.

I predicted at the time that without a continued hefty subsidy United wouldn’t keep Topeka in their system for a year.

It lasted eight months. Continue reading →

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Hearne: Shot Dead ‘She’s A Pistol’ Owner Neither Martyr nor Hero

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Hearne Christopher Jr.

Screen Shot 2015-01-11 at 1.13.53 PMLive by the sword, die by the sword…

That’s the sad reality – and as good a way as any – to  describe the death of a small time Shawnee gun shop owner that got killed last week in a wild west style shootout with four robbers.

Remember what I said recently about slow news days? Well, January’s a slow news month.

Hence the local newspaper of record serving up back-to-back front page, top-of-the-fold headline stories about the incident. Not that it’s not a legitimate news story – though it has TV tabloid style news written all over it – but did it really deserve a second front page send off describing what a nice guy the dead dude was?

Lots of people who die senselessly were nice to their customers, liked Star Wars and shared pictures they took on vacations with friends. Was that information anybody wanted or needed to know or have anything whatsoever to do with the shootings?

And what does being a fan of the headbanger band Pantera have to do with anything? Continue reading →

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Glazer: Super Bowl Berths at Stake in Today’s Playoffs & NCAA Title Game

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Craig Glazer

bywbqutiuaahbsgIt’s pretty much already forgotten that the Kansas City Chiefs may have beaten both of this season’s  Super Bowl teams…

We beat New England and Seattle, yet didn’t even make playoffs. Go figure. Both those teams now have home field advantage in the playoffs and likely will meet in the Big Dance in a few weeks.

Today’s games will decide who they play for the AFC and NFC titles.

Without the injuries to both Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning, Denver and Green Bay would probably be shoo-ins to win today’s games at home. However Rodgers has a torn calf muscle and Manning is simply too banged up with a weakening arm – that and his O-line has also gotten soft with injuries.

So these games today will likely be dogfights. Continue reading →

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Leftridge: TV Time: Impractical Jokers is the Funniest Show on Television

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Brandon Leftridge

IJcover)This may sound weird, but Impractical Jokers is the funniest show on television.

Now this sentence will be read and subsequently responded to in one of two ways:

1) Yeah, no shit!

or

2) What in the ever loving hell is Impractical Jokers?

Until a few weeks ago, I was in the second camp; I’d never seen, nor heard of this delightful program. But hallelujah, I saw the light.

To be honest, I don’t even remember how it happened. Continue reading →

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Hearne: 610 Sports Spanking WHB in Younger Listener Demos

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Hearne Christopher Jr.

0Some of you sports radio codgers are not going to be very happy with this column… 

Because in spite of the fact that you may think 20 and 30-something sports talkers like Nick Wright are ridiculously bad, there’s a case to be made that you’re just too old to appreciate them.

That’s not an indictment of oldsters.

However the inescapable fact is that people of different ages have different perceptions.

That’s why Baby Boomers drove their parents crazy blasting Led Zeppelin.

That’s also probably why even many Gen Xers think hip-hop, Ariana Grande and Lana Del Ray (if you even know who she is) totally suck.

It’s not that you’re clueless or don’t listen to and like cutting edge bands on The Buzz 96.5 FM. It’s just the nature of the beasts. If younger people’s tastes never changed and evolved, that goofy Lazlo dude would be playing Modest Mouses’s latest version of “She’ll be Coming Around the Mountain,” instead of”Lampshades on Fire.”

Capiche? Continue reading →

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Steele: Shawnee Mission, Just Say No to Drugs & Bonds

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Rich Steele

UnknownIn Johnson County, school bonds are drugs for the power-Whigs who run the show…

Specifically, the Shawnee Mission School District and its boosters at the Kansas City Star are planning to ask voters for a cool $223 million in capital improvements, the rationale being that more than 60 percent of the district’s buildings are more than 30 years old.

Hell, when I lived in France we had a pissoir on our block older than the original Shawnee Mission, and it worked just fine. No need to tear five schools down and start over. As with the pissoir, all those schools really need is a fresh coat of paint and some gangsta’ air.

http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article5577645.html

Rich Steele is a voice of reason and objectivist thought in an unreasonable world.

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Steele: Finally, a Real Church Without Christ

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Rich Steele

imagesThose who prefer their church-going with cheese and onions, take note…

On January 22, Wichita’s St. James Episcopal Church will be hosting—no joke–“Chili for Choice,” Planned Parenthood’s way of ringing in the 43rd year of Roe v. Wade.

Sorry for the visual, but doesn’t it just seem a little off-putting to commemorate legalized abortion by eating chili?

In any case, this sounds like the kind of event that would have warmed the heart of Hazel Motes, the wacko hero of Flannery O’Connor‘s dead-on 1952 novel Wise Blood. Continue reading →

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