KGB Carnival for August 6: Schweaty Balls edition

You wanna know what it's like in Kansas these days? It's hot, damn hot. So hot you can make a batch of Schweaty Balls with very little effort.

And the heat is oppressive, as many of the posts in this week's Kansas Guild of Bloggers carnival attest. Lots of heavy, brooding posts, but a few people are finding fun things to blog about.

Anyway, here's what I've come up with for this week.

• Sassywho questions those who are both pro-life and pro-death penalty at I never leave the house without incident.
• C.Mac delivers a thought-provoking post on the duty of the "middle class" at Bleeding Kansas.
• Joel Matthis posts about the power, privilege and schizophrenia of The Left at Cup o' Joel.
• Steve sees tribal conflict and genocides in Africa and the Middle East and asks whether only humans can be inhuman at The Pencil Nub.
• Kelly prepares for vacation in a stifling summer heat at Kelly in Kansas
• Diane covers the launch of Lawrence's domestic partner registry at In This Moment.
• HaveSumHope posted valuable lessons from a recently departed grandmother at The eMotion Cafe.
• John gives The Simpsons Movie two thumbs up at The Awesomeness of John.
• New blogger MVG wonders if her beau is really a blond at Midwest Valley Girl.
• El Borak experiences shrinkflation (hey, the water was cold) at El Borak's Myopia.
• Chimpo offers a review of JoCo pizza places at Chimpotle.

Well, there you have it. It's too damn hot for more than this, though if you know of something I've missed, drop me an email or a comment and I'll be sure to get it added.

Be sure to keep your eye out for Kansas-related blog posts and submit them for next week's carnival. Until then, try to stay cool Kansas.

tagged: Kansas, blog, blogger, carnival, KGB

Congratulations The D!

Congratulations to The D for totally dominating the competition in Emawkc's Second Annual Blog Anagram Game!!!

This was the best Emawkc's Second Annual Blog Anagram Game!!! ever. Thanks to everyone who participated. I only wish that everyone could win, but then we'd be a bunch of damn dirty hippies.

Anyway, have a great weekend everyone!
tagged: blog, game, anagram, fun

Friday Blogthing: JD would so hate me

What will you get busted for?
	You'll be busted for ... Excessive noise from your rocking party
'What will you get busted for?' at QuizGalaxy.com

tagged: Friday, test, busted, party, meme, blog

Man grabs a log* II

That's right. It's that time again. Back by popular demand...

It's (cue the Monty Python theme music...)

Emawkc's Second Annual Blog Anagram Game!!!

If you missed last year's anagram game, here's how it works: Below is a list of 10 blog titles in anagram form (anigramified, if you will). Your assignment, should you choose not to puss out, is to decode the anagrams and leave a comment with the answer.

Each time someone correctly decodes a title, you get a point. I'll link to the respective blog once its anagrammed title has been decoded. The commenter with the most points will win bragging rights, link love and lots of fabulous prizes**.

Oh, and to make things a little easier, all of the animgramified blogs below are listed in the blogroll to the left. And to make things even a little more easier, none of the blogs used last year are used this year.

It's fun, see?

Okay, here are this year's anagrams. Good luck.

1. We bred my spy
2. Oh Mr. Mint, freestanding lush
3. We'll helm hell lice
4. Why so ass?
5. Less elk limbs
6. Whip guru, buy absinthe
7. Mr. Bear fob
8. Turd heels
9. How Lewd, Newton
10. Do a yolk pitch

*Yes, the title of this post is actually and anagram for "blog anagrams" -- cute eh?
**As usual, no actual prizes will be given. You should know me better than that.
tagged: blog, game, anagram, fun

Shooting at the flames

When I was about 10 or 12, some mischievous kids accidentally set our dog's doghouse on fire with bottle rockets.

They had painted a target around the door of the doghouse, and were making a game of shooting the bottle rockets at the target, trying to get them through the door. It's harder than you would think... I'd imagine.

We never figured out who the mischievous offenders were, but my friend and I were the first on the scene when the dog house caught fire from the straw and bedding inside. We had the presence of mind to get the garden hose and - even though it wasn't us who set the thing on fire - try to put out the flames.

When my dad came running out of the house, he was yelling at us to shoot the water inside the doghouse, not at the flames as they were coming out the door.

You see, my dad new what Kansas Republicans seem to have forgotten. That when your house is burning, it's no good to shoot the flames. You have to shoot the water at the source of the fire, the fuel.

When the state GOP created its new "loyalty committee" to try to stop moderate Republicans from having anything to do with Democrats, they continued to shoot at the political flames. They thing the measure will prop up their party (I say "their" party because I would probably be considered a disloyal Republican).

They think they can bully members into not supporting Democrats for local and state offices, even if a Democrat is a better choice.

"There are times where the party needs to unite under just one banner," Kansas Republican Party executive director Christian Morgan said Monday.

"At the very base level, if you can’t get county officers and district officers, if you can't get them to stop backing Democrats, then you have serious problems," Morgan said.

Morgan is right about one thing, there is a serious problem. But the problem isn't disloyal Republicans, it's that the Republican party is out of touch with what is becoming a majority of the state.

To paraphrase Leia Organa, the more they try to tighten their grip on what members can do/say, the more members will slip through their fingers.

Rather than try to hamstring party members, the Republican leadership needs to take a hard, honest look at their constituency. Try to figure out why a Republican would want to help a Democrat get elected in the first place. Address the issue at the core of the fire, rather than just shoot at the flames.

If they can't do that, their house will continue to burn down.

tagged: Kansas, politics, Republican, Democrat

YouTube Tuesday: Teacher preacher

My mom's a retired teacher. My dad is a former teacher. One of my sisters is a teacher. Three of my aunts and two of my uncles are teachers (or retired teachers).

I've got a lot of respect for what teachers try to do. Pounding knowledge into the thick skulls of the bratty offspring of the over-privileged, or trying to get through to future gang bangers without getting shanked or shot in the process. All the while dealing with snotty overbearing parents or, worse, apathetic absentee parents.

I can't think of a more underpaid profession. What does a teacher make? Ask Taylor Mali...



tagged: movie, YouTube, video, teacher, salary, humor, Taylor Mali, culture

KGB Carnival for July 30: Time to get back in the game, Butchie

It's been a long time since I've hosted the weekly Kansas Guild of Bloggers Carnival.

John B. at Blog Meridian has been doing an outstanding job of keeping the fun train on track. But with John on hiatus for a couple of weeks, I thought I'd step back in and round up last week in Kansas blogging.

To paraphrase John from Cincinnati, "It's time to get back in the game, emaw."

So here it is, the KGB Carnival for July 20, 2007:

• Professor Paul takes a second look at Second Life at The Force that Through...
• John B. hits the dog days of summer in the latest installment of his continuing series A Stretch of River at Blog Meridian.
• The D breaks down the big blogger meetup in KC last week at The D Rules!!
• Local Kansas City music man Dwight Frizzell makes a guest appearance at Happy in Bag.
• Joel Matthis returns from vacation to propose a way to avoid additional mid-air media chopper crashes at Cup O' Joel.
• Chimpo reviews the Kauffman Stadium all-you-can-eat section at Chimpotle.
• Joshua Rosenau has announced plans for relocation and a need for a new name for Thoughts from Kansas.
• Shea recovers nicely and moves on at A California Girl in Kansas.
• Faith from Frighteningly Uncommon Sense wonders why someone would want a jacuzzi inside their house.
• El Borak heralds the mortgage meltdown's arrival in Kansas at El Borak's Myopia.

Well, that's all I had time for. I suspect I've missed a few that should have been included. Feel free to send me a link at the above-right email address and I'll include it in the list (or simply leave a comment with the link, whatevs).

Be sure to keep an eye out for interesting posts from, at or about Kansas for next week's carnival. Submit them to this link and tune in next week.

tagged: Kansas, blog, blogger, carnival, KGB

Bloggin' in the real world

By all accounts, last night's blogger meetup at Governor Stumpy's was a smashing success.

It's so cool to see people that you know through the blogworld in person in the real world. I was amazed and humbled at the combined talent that was gathered around the five or six tables that we commandeered.

I regret that I couldn't stay longer and talk to more people. I particularly missed having longer conversations with Heather, The D, Faith, Eolai and lots of others.

But I did have a good time getting to know KC Sponge and meeting Dan in the flesh. Also had a great discussion with Lee Ingalls, proprietor of the fabulous The New Low Down and the funny/quirky Oddment of Sandwiches. Seriously, if you haven't checked out his stuff, do. You won't be disappointed.

And I can't forget to mention Xavier Onassis. I made good on my promise to deliver a fabulous prize to him for finding an error in this post. Although, technically it was a grammar error, not a spelling one (that's my story and I'm sticking to it). Anyway, the photo is of the crazy awesome shirt I gave him as a prize.

Really looking forward to next time. I hope to see some of the newer bloggers there. I'm looking at you Chimpo and muzak.

tagged: Kansas City, blogger, Governor Stumpy's, blog, meetup

Friday Blogthing: I am not an animal

Laney`s Original Inkblot Test Outcome A - The Human. Based on the descriptions you chose, you are practical, reliable, friendly, and fit in with people quite nicely. You probably have a regular family and do well in acedemia. Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

tagged: Friday, test, inkblot, human, meme, blog

Movie Mini Review: Beyond the Sea

Title: Beyond the Sea

Cast: Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, John Goodman

Plot summary:
Late-1950s pop sensation Bobby Darin reviews his life and times from childhood to his death in this musical bio-drama.

My thoughts:
I was pleasantly surprised to see the my Supermodel Wife had DVRd this flick. I remember being interested in it when I saw Kevin Spacey making the late night talk show rounds last year.

Back then, Spacey described Beyond the Sea as an homage to Bobby Darin and his music. And I guess that's one way to describe it.

But the way I would describe it is an homage to Kevin Spacey.

Spacey, who gives himself credit as writer, director and star is never off screen for more than a minute or two. The scenes seem designed not so much to advance the plot, but to showcase Spacey's acting, singing and dancing skills.

It's too bad. I've really enjoyed some of the work Spacey has done. I think his roles in The Usual Suspects, L.A. Confidential and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil were top notch.

But Beyond the Sea had the look and feel of a Spacey vanity project.

I understand Spacey has been spending a lot of time on stage productions for the last few years as artistic director of the Old Vic theater in London. Some of the stage and musical influence made its way into Beyond the Sea. But in my opinion it didn't translate well.

Many of the scenes were contrived especially to lead to a song and dance number. For example the scene that introduces the title track is only tenuously related to the content of the song.

Hearing some of Darin's best songs took a bit of the edge off of all of the Spaceyness. And even though I was looking at the clock on the DVR to see how soon the movie would be over, I still enjoyed Spacey's rendition of Mack the Knife.

My final rating: meh.

Favorite quote:
"Listen you prick, there are four guys around here who can't be fired. And you're not one of them. "

tagged: movie, Beyond the Sea, film, culture, Bobby Darin, review, Kevin Spacey