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Most recent dispatch from Chuck Munson regarding the Crossroads Infoshop renovation project:

At our meeting last week, we agreed to have one last work day this Saturday, September 1, from Noon until 6 pm. We will have another drywall day later in September to put up the ceiling below the back balcony.

Please consider joining us for this important work day. We will be getting the space cleaned up for the grand re-opening on September 15th. If you don’t have carpentry skills, this will be the day to help out. We’ll be cleaning, dusting, painting, and prepping the floor for sealant.

At this point, most of the construction for the space is finished. The sales counter and bar have been built. This weekend we started cleaning out stuff that was in the upper back balcony. That space will be turned into office space over the next few months. Most of the electrical work is up and running.

What do we need to finish prepping the space for the grand opening?

Stuff
* Small end tables
* Lamps

Books
* We are always looking for book donations

Financial
* More sustainers to help us keep the project running for the long term
* Money for Internet connection and wi-fi (Price to be determined)
* Around $100 to buy drywall to finish ceiling

Any help appreciated.

Tags: Kansas City by Brad Spangler
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Kansas City area freedom lovers, come out tonight in support of our friends out in Lawrence as they celebrate the 6th anniversary of the Solidarity! Radical Center:

Tonight, Friday August 24th 2007, at 7pm!

The Solidarity Center is celebrating its 6th anniversary/birthday! And
we’re having a big party!

Music, food and fun!

With performances by:

Girl in a Coma- socially conscious all woman indie rawk band on Joan
Jett’s Blackheart Records.

The Recipe- KC based black liberation hip hop and spoken word

Joe Carr w/ DJ Spence- Lawrence’s own anarchist hip hop duo.

Hope to see you there!

Solidarity! Radical Center
1119 Massachusetts St.
Lawrence, KS 66014

Can’t make it myself, but looks like major fun!

Tags: Kansas City by Brad Spangler
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Chuck Munson recently posted about the upcoming political effort to scale back the “light rail” plan Kansas City voters approved last year. For those who need to be brought up to speed, activist Clay Chastain has pushed for some form of light rail in KC over and over again for what seems like around two decades now, seemingly perpetually petitioning to get his various light rail initiatives on the ballot. One can only assume the voters finally approved a Chastain plan because that seemed to be the only hope of getting him to (please!) shut the hell up. I mean, seriously, people were that sick of hearing about it all. This guy wouldn’t leave Kansas City voters alone even after he moved several states away. That’s my theory on why the measure passed, anyway.

Alas, voters suffering from “light-rail-and-Chastain-in-the-local-media-burnout” will have no relief from this topic. As Chuck notes, an emerging faction of the local business-political establishment is seeking a ballot measure to repeal the Chastain plan, presumably over cost issues, so we’re all going to get sick of this stuff all over again.

Additionally, a third faction is apparently preparing a campaign to replace the Chastain plan with increased support for the existing bus system; specifically attempting to gear it toward the needs of working Kansas Citians as opposed to the touristy focus of the Chastain plan. Judging by the summary of early talking points in Chuck’s post, these people are going to have the better attack on the Chastain plan. Although I won’t be joining Chuck in outright support of that campaign, one can easily see why he supports it. It’s the least stupid option with mainstream support.

The repeal plan has the fingerprints of the cockroach caucus all over it. The movers and the shakers behind it clearly aren’t interested in an actual reduction in the size and cost of local government — only a shift of resources toward their own favored bags of goodies. This is mere conservatism rather than a progressive libertarian plan to both reduce government AND solve local transportation problems. What would such a plan look like? Well, for starters, they’d look into what legal obstacles they can remove to allow jitney services to emerge in the local market. Their apparent unconcern about the legitimate transportation needs of Kansas Citians, and their apparent contempt or at least disregard or ignorance of the ability of working class entrepreneurs to satisfy those transportation needs, marks them as ruling class supporters of the status quo.

Rather than political activism for some government-focused initiative or another, what this town needs is grassroots social activism. Social activists could support private programs to teach self-employment skills to the working poor. Radical social activists could teach people that there’s nothing morally wrong with breaking laws that restrain the abilities of entrepreneurs to peacefully satisfy consumer needs, such as in the area of transportation. It’s called counter-economics. Yes, agorism is very practical.

Tags: Kansas City, Politics by Brad Spangler
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In just a few short minutes, George W. Bush will address the VFW convention here in Kansas City and, like most other true criminals, he will continue to conform to his modus operandi. That is to say, he’ll lie his ass off.

Get a load of this howler CNN is reporting will be uttered:

“Three decades later, there is a legitimate debate about how we got into the Vietnam War and how we left,” Bush will say.

Well, no, there is no such “legitimate” debate. The Gulf of Tonkin incident was a US government hoax. End of story.

I’m glad he’s saying that, though, because it illustrates what some of us have been thinking and saying for a while now — that the Bush Junta is a result of the Vietnam War not being decisively discredited enough in the years afterward. People just wanted to move on. Such graciousness only allowed the “stabbed in the back” myth to fester and grow. The result has been a Nixonian restoration that must be defeated.

Tags: Kansas City, Politics by Brad Spangler
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I’m not sure whether or not I would agree with the particular point of view the curriculum presents in terms of “how to”, but I generally approve of the topic:

A Comprehensive Approach to Avoid Wars

This class will offer a careful analysis of the causes of war and the relating of these causes to current and historic conflicts. We will identify the most promising solutions or strategies to avoid wars. The class will explore steps to address, eliminate and reduce the use of organized violence to attempt to solve conflicts. Facilitator Don McClain is a retired instructor in Peace Studies at Park University and Director of the former Kansas City Interfaith Alliance and Peace Works Board member. Meets Thursdays, September 27 -October 11, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.

Presented at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church
4501 Walnut Street
Kansas City, Mo. 64111

Tags: Kansas City by Brad Spangler
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Chuck Munson nailed this:

“Cupcakeland” is a name popularized by writer Richard Rhodes to describe Kansas City, specifically that segment of KC’s ruling and political classes who have this perennial chip on their shoulder about Kansas City’s reputation. While most Kansas Citians love this city, the Cupcakeland class spends billions of taxpayer money on hare-brained projects designed to improve Kansas City’s image. Thus, we are witness to corporate welfare scams like the new Sprint Center, the Power & Light District, new signage telling tourists where to go so they don’t have to talk to actual residents, and a atrocious number of capitalist developments financed by taxpayer TIFs.

Carson fans will probably recognize the local version of the public/private political class Power Elite described above as Kansas City’s cockroach caucus.

Tags: Kansas City by Brad Spangler
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The Kansascity.com forums have a poll on the possibility of a smoking ban here in KC.

You don’t have to be a smoker to recognize the idea stinks far worse than any tobacco smoke.

Tags: Kansas City, Politics by Brad Spangler
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Some patriotic (in the 1775 sense of the word) ladies and gentlemen recently delivered a message to Kansas Representative Dennis Moore and Kansas Senator Pat Roberts. Congratulations in particular to Kaedden for giving up his job at the location to carry out his key role in the action.

Coming up, there may be a local environmental effort brewing to fight the draining of a marsh in Wyandotte County, Kansas. As the marsh is located in a public park, I’ll be looking forward to at least making the point that government, any government, is a lousy steward of environmental treasures. Although far from perfectly libertarian, the property-based approach of The Nature Conservancy seems at least worth mentioning at the moment. More commentary when more details emerge.

Tags: Kansas City by Brad Spangler
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Upcoming events at the Crossroads Infoshop here in Kansas City:

Thursday, August 9, 2007 - The Sperm (KC), DIRTYARD (fast fun punk from
Minneapolis), 9pm, All Ages. Picnic before the show @ 31st and Paseo,
7:30, FREE FOOD!

Saturday, August 11, 2007 - Really, Really Free Market. Across the
street from the infoshop in the vacant lot at 31st & Troost.

Sunday, August 12 2007 - Anarchist discussion group. 12 Noon. Our local
anarchist discussion group re-convenes for a discussion about anarchist
solutions to the health care crisis. Bring a drink or food to share.

Thursday, August 23, 2007 - Game Night! Join us at our first monthly
game night. Chess, strategy games, role-playing games and anything else
people want to play.

Sunday, August 26, 2007 - Anarchist discussion group. 12 Noon.

Saturday, September 15, 2007 - Re-opening party and music.

Crossroads Infoshop & Radical Bookstore
3109 Troost Ave., KCMO 64109
http://www.crossroadskc.org/

Tags: Cool, Kansas City, Politics by Brad Spangler
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The Kansas City Roller Warriors go head to head with Arizona’s Tent City Terror in the Roller Derby Match Up of the summer and a grudge match heats up as the BRIDES vs the NINJAS.

When:
Saturday Aug 11, 2007 at 7:00 PM

Where:
KEMPER ARENA
1701 American Royal Ct.
Kansas City, MO 64101
United States
View Map

On Saturday August 11th the Kansas City Roller Warriors will duke it out with Arizonas Tent City Terrors, along with a special match up featuring the deadly Brides against the stealthy Ninjas. NOT A GAME TO MISS!!

Includes special musical guests BLACK POOL LIGHTS

Also featuring SCOUT NIGHT with KCs boy and girl scouts of america.

SATURDAY AUGUST 11TH
Kemper Arena Doors@6PM
Tickets are $13/Adv $16/dos Adults
or $6.50/Adv $8/dos Kids
Children under 5 get in FREE!!

Purchase Tickets online @
http://www.kcrollerwarriors.com/tickets.html

Tags: Cool, Kansas City by Brad Spangler
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