Johnathan "Fatal1ty" Wendel may have moved from KC to Las Vegas, but we haven't forgotten the video-gaming legend. Now, Wendel is featured as part of Microsoft Windows' "I'm a PC" TV ad campaign. Fatal1ty has also been spotted sporting a faux hawk and a finger gun on billboards, which his newsletter says have appeared in San Francisco and London.
Check out Pwn or Die for Fatal1ty's all-time top 10 first-person-shooter games. He even gives a shoutout to KC, although we still don't know if he tamed the PBR Big Sky's mechanical bull. Please, Fatal1ty, video update us. -- Justin Kendall
On Christmas, some Grinch chucked rocks through the windows of a building near 39th and Main. Two days later, the building suffered $20,000 damage in a fire.
The vandalism had led to rumors the blaze began with a Molotov cocktail. But the Kansas City fire department today says a defective water cooler was the cause. The fire started just before midnight on December 27.
The Main Street Corridor Redevelopment Corporation & Community Improvement District, a non-profit known informally as MainCor, uses the portion of the building that caught fire. The space serves as a base for MainCor's red-jacket wearing maintenance workers and patrol officers. MainCor head Diane Burnette says Brent Lambi, the building's owner, made the space available at no charge.
Marty Schottenheimer's return to the Kansas City Chiefs is "a long shot," Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reports. Glazer says Schottenheimer met with team owner Clark Hunt last week to talk about a vice president gig with the team, kinda like Bill Parcells, who may be considering new employment. Glazer notes that the GM search will be "thorough." Chiefs dream coach Bill Cowher isn't linked to any KC opening but does get a mention in the Cleveland blurb. However, the former Steelers coach has said he's not interested no matter how many bags of money he's given. Chiefs dream GM Scott Pioli is also mentioned as a possibility for the Browns. Being thorough is good, but Clark Hunt better act fast before the best candidates end up somewhere other than 1 Arrowhead Drive. -- Justin Kendall
So 2008 you've been fun. We've had good times. But now you're leaving and there's some of the worst of 2008 to kick to the curb with you.
The words "delish" and "foodie": I have a visceral nails-on-a-chalkboard reaction to these words. Delish is a cop-out. If something is truly delicious, show some proper gratitude and take the time to say the entire word. It's not fair for some chef to spend four hours making one dish but you can't be bothered to say the last syllable. Not going through the effort sums up what chefs hate about the main user of this word, Rachel Ray.
As for "foodie":
I'm not naming names but I can think of more than a few local restaurants that would benefit from the kind, gentle hand of Gordon Ramsey.
Ramsey is now casting for his new season of Kitchen Nightmares and is looking for potential troubled restaurants to scream like mad in turn around. In case you've been living under a cave (or don't have cable) here is a sample of the Ramsey touch:
There's no diplomatic way to tell an owner his or her restaurant is crap and should be considered for a reality show on failing restaurants. But at the same time, who would want to pass up a Gordon Ramsey makeover?
McClatchy Watch argues with Kansas City Star columnist Rhonda Chriss Lokeman over who's really writing her paychecks. McClatchy Watch says the Star -- via Lokeman's hubby, publisher Mark Zieman -- funnels the money through Lokeman's syndicator because she's not really nationally syndicated. Lokeman says her syndicator pays her. I'm not sure a couple of papers running a column makes a syndicated columnist.
Arrowhead Addict writes the blueprint for the 2009 Chiefs. Raid the Patriots!
Midtown Miscreant tours the Power & Blight District. Double M gets right what's wrong in the palace of poseurs.
Damn. Erin's leaving KC for D.C. Best of luck with Mr. Perfect. -- Justin Kendall
After we sent out this week's dining newsletter Pitch Forks, reporting that Holiday Cab -- the free New Year's Eve taxi service -- had been canceled this year because it was unable to find a sponsor, we got word that the service got a last minute reprieve thanks to the generosity of Kansas/Missouri alcohol distributor and downtown club Seven.
Holiday Cab will be available one day only, this Wednesday, New Year's Eve, until 3 a.m.
To use the services call Yellow Cab at 816-777-1115.
-- Owen Morris
I'm pretty sure the Guinness World Records folks owe Robert Pollard some sort of recognition. In the past year, the man turned out a whopping five LPs along with handful of EPs and singles throughout his various projects and according to the discography page on his website, we should expect nothing less in 2009. His upcoming solo album, The Crawling Distance is due January 20 on his own Guided By Voices Inc. imprint. Download a preview below and expect the sophomore effort from the Boston Spaceships (Pollard's collaboration with the Decemberists' John Moen,) in February.
MP3: Robert Pollard, "Imaginary Queen Anne," The Crawling Distance (Guided By Voices Inc.)
Wait? Is this blog post even about food? It starts off on the subject but quickly veers to Twitter. You've been warned. [Hip Suburban White Guy]
New Years' Resolutions are coming quick and often now. Dan Regan from KC Irish Fest has a good list of what he hopes to accomplish including, "I will get a full 8 hours of sleep a night Irish Fest weekend and
will eat three square, healthful and nutritious meals each day, while
limiting myself to one small glass of light beer." I wish him the best of luck but I didn't even manage that as a visitor, much less a planner. [Tir na Blog]
How will the organic food market hold up in this recession? Will there even be an organic food market? [AP Food Technology]
2008 versus 2009. Oh what a difference a year and a global recession makes. [The Guardian] -- Owen Morris
Sam Graves' homophobic TV spots against "Big City Mayor" Kay Barnes have earned a nomination for the 2008 Golden Duke Awards for the sleaziest campaign ad given out by Talking Points Memo. But Sammy will face tough competition from John McCain's ads about how Barack Obama supposedly wanted sex ed in kindergarten. Hat tip to Prime Buzz. -- Justin Kendall
Which out-of-town restaurant would you lobby to bring to KC?
DelHi Soul Food Buffet closes in KCK
The Gaf has closed in Waldo
OSHA orders reinstatement of Wolf Creek whistle-blower
Police leave Union Station after suspicious package found
KC Pride Festival 2013? Yes, it's still on
Kanrocksas single-day tickets now on sale
Giovanni's Deli goes big in the Northland