34 Comments so far

1. Bob Asher on April 4, 2006 8:08 am

   Did anyone catch the “infomercial” they had on MetroSports yesterday after the game? The SOS people actually had the class to dig up dead Ewing Kaufmann and dead Hank Stram to pitch their cause. They used archived interviews and creative editing to make it look like Hank and Ewing were 100% behind the initiatives. I have never seen anything so repulsive and tacky in my life. I know I was working at a bar full of royals fans just back from the game and that kind of BS like that did nothing but piss everybody off. Probably turned out a few more “no” votes to be honest.
   Good work, SOS! I can’t wauit for someone to calculate how much PER VOTE that these people will have spent when its all said and done.

2. Bob Asher on April 4, 2006 8:12 am

   A few legal questions for anyone who knows:

   1. Kansas City Star spam: Is this legal?

   2. Also, about the mayor on TV campaigning on the street yesterday with her little corsage and vote YES sign. She was standing a city Right-of-Way: Is that legal?

   3. Digging up dead people’s archived interviews and editing them the some like something they’re not: Is that legal?

   4.Vote Yes signs all over country property yesterday when I was out at the home-opener: Is that legal?

   5. Veiled campaign propaganda on the big screen while that dipshit Fleetwood Mac song “Don’t stop thinkin’ about tomorrow” played over and over between innings at the Royals game yesterday: Is that legal?

   Thanks for any help.

3. chris on April 4, 2006 8:23 am

   This is bullshit. Because of this, I’m voting no at least nine times today (I have a system).

4. BlogKC on April 4, 2006 8:32 am

   Bob,

   I think most of it is legal.

   1) The Star spammed registered users, people who voluntarily shared their email address.

   2) Probably legal, as political protestors have to stand on public property or right of way, not private property.

   3) I’m assuming they got permission from the Kauffman and Stram estates to use footage of those gusy.

   4) The teams lease the stadiums, so they can pretty much put up any signs they want. Just like your landlord can’t stop you from putting up campaign signs in the window of your apartment or house.

   5) It’s legal if they paid royalties for playing those songs, just like any song they play.

5. kcinsider on April 4, 2006 8:48 am

   I thought the most tacky thing yesterday was when they had Buck O’Neill, a Kansas City treasure, unbutton his Royals jersey after submitting the line up to unveil a tshirt that said to vote yes. I seriously was embarassed for the man, and I love Buck O’Neill.

   It was all so staged, the cameras totally followed Buck the whole time as he walked off and started to unbutton his jersey. And they stayed on him forever once his shirt was unveiled. And then you hear boo’s from the audience. And I thought, it has come to this -these vultures have put Buck O’Neill in a situation where he’s being booed in Kauffman Stadium. How utterly sad and pathetic.

6. matt on April 4, 2006 9:13 am

   disgusting.

7. thurston on April 4, 2006 9:49 am

   The spam campaign was paid advertising by the SOS folks. If there was an organized anti-stadium group with deep pockets, the Star would probably would have done the same thing.

   Not that it doesn’t appear to be a conflict of interst. The Star’s reporting has been so one-sided, so clearly biased, and often factually wrong. Any bets they’ll get this worked up over the $2-3 billion needed for sewer and stormwater repairs in KC? Probably not.

   I think Tony Ortega has it half right: The KC Star is so influenced by local politicians and has so little influence in the community.

8. William M. Buchanan, III on April 4, 2006 10:02 am

   How does this translate to rfeferring to the Star as a Johnson County institution? It is hard to take this blog seriously due to its various over-the-top biases.

   Not to fertilize your paranoia, I am also a registered Star web user. Funny how I did not get any spam. Perhaps that is because I do not live in Jackson county. Nonetheless, I have to agree, the SOS campaign and those they have conned into working for them is attrocious. If I could vote in Jackson county I would definitely vote no.

9. keanon on April 4, 2006 10:11 am

   Everyone knows that the KCStar and the STL Post-Dispatch are sales-tax exempt, right?
   Doesn’t this imply some sort of necessary gravitas or public responsibility?

   What does the message actually say?
   From what address did it come?

10. BlogKC on April 4, 2006 10:36 am

    William,

    The reference came from the fact that a growing number of Jackson Countians are getting tired of having people in Johnson County tell us how to vote, including a disproportionate number newspaper columnists, TV reporters, and talk radio hosts living in Johnson County.

    This blog’s bias should be very clear just by looking at the logo at the top of this page. We have never made any attempt to hide our point of view. If that bothers you then feel free to start BlogJoCo and promote your own point of view. That’s the beauty of the blogospher.

11. William M. Buchanan, III on April 4, 2006 11:29 am

    Not sure how your logo indicates your anti-JoCo bias. Never said you tried to hide your bias. Simply questioning the effect of wearing it so prominantly on your sleeve. Makes it hard for me to believe that you can have a fair and balanced discussion of the issue when you frame it as you do. If you want a mutual pity party, then you are on the right track.

12. Todd Elkins on April 4, 2006 12:55 pm

    Keanon–you can’t say the Star is tax-exempt in the way that a non-profit is. I believe they don’t have to pay sales tax on newspapers since the papers will be sold later with tax.

    However, non-profit groups, including churches can take positions on *ballot* issues (not on candidates).

13. Ben Dover on April 4, 2006 12:59 pm

    I’m just back from voting No, now comes the finger-crossing time. I have no faith in the people of this county to use their heads, as they have passed so many regressive and wasteful taxes in the last few years, but here’s hoping. For anyone overly concerned about the pro-stadium hype during the game, don’t be…that stadium is about 75% non-Jaxco on any given game day, so it’s Rev. Jim Jones preaching to his choir. As Tony’s KC has reported, the readership of the Star is mainly in Joco and in the 70-80 age range. Here’s what truly yanks my chain about the Star’s hype on this issue: Where was this sort of cheerleading for the Bi-State vote? They barely supported it, which is huge considering the Star supports all taxes, and there was certainly no SAVE OUR TEAMS – KEEP US BIG LEAGUE crap being tossed out. It makes one wonder if there is a double standard over at the Star, being that their employees all live in Joco.

14. Chip on April 4, 2006 1:18 pm

    I, for one, appreciate the fact that this site differentiates between KCMO and it’s burbs when it comes to paying for pork like this. So many of the local media movers and shakers in this city do NOT actually live in KC proper, and this becomes an issue when they endorse a local tax. When the newspaper consistently fawns over any and all things Johnson County, the price that paper pays is distrust and loss of influence with readers outside Johnson County. Who can forget JoCo cheerleader and resident Mike Hendricks endorsing the tax so he can still take his kids to games? As I recall, the Star opposed the downtown stadium idea, probably because suburbanites would have to actually walk through KC streets instead of high-tailing it back home immediately after games.

15. Tony Ortega on April 4, 2006 2:03 pm

    Hey, it’s nice to be remembered. Yes, I suppose I did say such things about the Star. And if I were still there, I’d love to be joining y’all in the “NO” chorus.

    But here in South Florida, when the baseball team threatens to leave, people yawn. “Go ahead, see if we care,” they say.

    It’s kind of refreshing.

    Tony O
    Editor
    New Times Broward-Palm Beach

16. Yes Vote on April 4, 2006 3:07 pm

    What the infamous Tony O is not telling you is that the Florida Marlins probably ARE going to move to San Antonio, Las Vegas, Portland, Ore., or Norfolk, VA. Most of these cities are actively recruiting baseball and football teams – you can add Los Angeles and others to the list recruiting football teams. Also, there are many other things to do in warm and sunny South Florida other than to go to pro sporting events – that is not the case here.

    As far as Buck O’Neill is concerned, you racist blog commenters and posters like kcinsider and matt that think Mr. O’Neill is some sort of non-thinking puppet or lead in a minstrel show who can’t make up his own mind need to back off. He is a treasure, he is a smart man and he knows what he is doing when he campaigns for the Yes Vote. What makes you embarrassed for him? The people to be disgusted about and embarrassed by are the vile “fans” who boo the man for disagreeing with their opinion of the way the vote should go.

17. kcinsider on April 4, 2006 3:43 pm

    i think Buck is a really nice guy who probably wants to help out. I think he’s extremely intelligent. I have met him numerous times over the years and have always been impressed by his intellect, his grace and his charisma. I wasn’t mad at him, I was mad at the supporters for using him to advance their vote when it should have been just a moment to honor Buck, especially since he didn’t get into the Hall of Fame. Instead, it turned into a political event.

    Finally, I would really, really be careful before you start calling someone a racist, when you clearly no nothing about me, my ethnicity, my background, my feelings or my beliefs. Hate me for not wanting the stadium vote, if you like -but leave out the race card. It just shows how little you have to argue on the actual merits of the question.

18. Yes Vote on April 4, 2006 3:59 pm

    You are talking out of both sides of your mouth saying Buck is “extremely intelligent” and then that supporters are “using him to advance their vote.” Which one is it? Or don’t you “no”?

    In my opinion you don’t know, have never met the man, are not a kc insider, are a real name dropper and would vote no on anything that would make this city take the next step in growing into a premier city. You and your negative buddies might be left even further behind by the intelligent and forward thinking people who actually believe that people like Buck can have a thought of their own. I don’t care enough about your ethnicity, your background, your feelings or beliefs to “hate” you.

19. kcinsider on April 4, 2006 4:07 pm

    Again, this is what I think – I think Buck wants to be helpful, but I think he has been such a great ambassador to the game he shouldn’t deign into political debates. He is too good to get involved into the muck that is Jackson County politics.

    I was embarrassed because I had a feeling he was going to get booed and that made me feel bad because I think he deserves all the accolades he gets. I would have felt the same way had they booed George Brett or Lenny Dawson, and I don’t particularly like either one of those guys.

    As for your opinions about me and who I have or not met, or whether or not I am an insider, I frankly couldn’t give a damn. Oh, and by the way -I voted for the Sprint Center.

20. Yes Vote on April 4, 2006 4:19 pm

    You shouldn’t give a damn about what I think of you. Thanks for voting for the Sprint Center. These blogs are too easy to take pot shots at people so I am sorry if I offended you – I should not have called you a racist – which was kind of my point about not booing Buck because he disagrees with ones opinion. Remember, if you debate and vote you have done your job. I would hope that whichever side wins, the other side would work to make the most out of the situation. Have a good night.

21. heidi on April 4, 2006 5:01 pm

    You mean some people use real email addresses for those online newspaper registrations?!?!

22. thurston on April 4, 2006 6:18 pm

    Everyone give a hand to “Yes Vote” for portraying the sweaty, desperate JoCo stadium supporter contingent.

23. William M. Buchanan, III on April 4, 2006 6:50 pm

    Everyone give a hand to “thurston” for portraying the ‘blame it all on JoCo’ contingent. In the absence of a true arguement fall back on insults. Seems the norm for this blog.

24. sk on April 4, 2006 7:28 pm

    Now that the polls are closed and Jackson Countians have cast their votes, can someone please tell me why the roof “tax” is not just added to the price of the game tickets over the next 25 years? I have been to one Chiefs game (and don’t plan on going back) and thus don’t feel that I should pay for anything that benefits those thugs.
    Also, if we can learn anything from this election, it is that the people who believe in issues need to get involved in city hall and campaigning to help voters make an informed choice rather than following propaganda-fueled demands.

25. thurston on April 4, 2006 7:53 pm

    If you don’t like the blog post and the comments, William Buchanan III, then don’t read them.

26. Dave C. on April 4, 2006 9:11 pm

    Hunt & Glass win.

    Jackson County residents lose..

    *sigh*

27. Craig on April 5, 2006 1:14 am

    No big deal. We will all be back here in 10-14 years when the teams again start whining about their old stadiums (then 43 years old) and how they need megabucks to make “state of the art” upgrades. By then there may actually be another gas station on the Cut-Off, so they can point to the economic development we have realized. The Star will endorse the new deal and criticize the current one, just as it forgot that it endorsed the horrible 1990 leases at the time. We could’ve negotiated a far far better deal had there even been one person involved who wasn’t getting his/her back scratched. YES VOTE – perhaps you should read more than blog sites, then you might know that David Glass recently told Pitch and Lamar Hunt recently told KMBZ that they did NOT intend to move the teams regardless of the vote. That said, the Florida Marlins are not moving anywhere because…get this…Major League Baseball has only approved 2 areas nationally for team relocation and those are New Jersey and the San Bernadino Valley of California. Land is high-dollar in both areas and neither is making any offers.

28. Craig on April 5, 2006 1:20 am

    SK- Don’t worry, you’ll get your chance. This rolling roof thing will be like Michael Myers from Halloween and keep coming back in one form or another until they find a poorly-enough attended election date and ram it through.

29. Tony Ortega on April 5, 2006 8:25 am

    To my comment about South Floridians shrugging when the Marlins talk of leaving, ‘Yes Vote’ replied: “There are many other things to do in warm and sunny South Florida other than to go to pro sporting events – that is not the case here.”

    That may be the most depressing thing I’ve seen in this debate — that people like ‘Yes Vote’ can’t imagine why KC would be worth living in without its sport teams.

    Sure, it’s warm and sunny here in Ft. Lauderdale (now that the electricity is back on and we get a breather between hurricanes), but weather isn’t everything. Would I move back to KC if it were possible? In a minute. And believe me, it would have nothing to do with the games played by overpaid primadonnas in the corporate playgrounds at the Truman complex.

    T.O.

30. Derek on April 5, 2006 10:37 am

    Aye, I agree, Tony.

    Whoever thinks that KC is only known for a couple of sports teams is sadly mistaken. The SOB campaign seemed to be droning on about that and that so-called threat of either team wanting to pull out of town…

31. Derek on April 5, 2006 10:44 am

    Craig,something to replace the defunct Blue Ridge Mall?

32. Mark on April 5, 2006 11:42 am

    So now get ready for the Sports backed Shields for Mayor campaign. Remember this started with Shields giving away the naming rights before the BI-State election. It will end with her in Kays seat giving away the rest of the City to the special interests.
    Maybe Johnson County isn’t so bad a place to live after all.

33. Trogdor The Geek on April 14, 2006 11:00 pm

    I feel sorry for the trees that were killed to produce the star. It’s heart breaking.

34. Test on March 24, 2007 3:24 pm

    Hi

    G’night