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“City Lights” Tonight Downtown

The rain is supposed to stop. But wear your Wellies. The festivities start at 6:30 at Neiman Marcus and end up at the new and very sloshy Main Street Park.

In the lobby of the Merc as you walk by, you’ll see this very cool construction by UNT design students. (In real life, it does not tilt. Only in my photo does it tilt. )This not-really- leaning tower of children’s books will be distributed during the Christmas season.

Notes From the Museum of Nature & Science Shindig Last Night

If you’ve seen the two large white tents just north of Woodall Rodgers, on the edge of Victory, and wondered what they were for, it wasn’t the circus. The tents were erected to accommodate the groundbreaking for the MNS’ new building and to host last night’s big gala fundraiser. How’d it go, you ask? Check out Sweet Charity’s report. The only details that I’d add to her dispatch are these:

The missus and I were seated at dinner with a bunch of Hillwood guys. It was loud in that tent. But not so loud that they couldn’t hear me when I broke the ice by asking, “So what’s the deal, anyway, with Victory? You guys defaulted to the Germans, right?” One tablemate was kind enough to tell me all about the current state of affairs at Victory, but his comments were off the record. (Jealous?) Finally, Kent Rathbun catered. If I’m not mistaken, he’s lost weight. Looking good. And the short ribs were scrumptious.

Lost JFK Tapes to Air on the Radio This Weekend

To commemorate the 46th anniversary of the assassination, this Sunday KMNY 1360 AM will air lost recordings that were made that day. The details:

The lost JFK assassination recordings from the old KXOL-1360AM in Fort Worth will play this Sunday night, November 22, over KMNY-1360AM from 6PM-7PM as a special presentation of “The Hi-Fi Club” radio show, commemorating the 46th anniversary of the event. These recordings, made by KXOL-AM reporter and former KXAS-TV news anchor Russ Bloxom and his former wife, Sanda, mainly cover the late afternoon, evening and nighttime coverage of the assassination, and extend through Lee Harvey Oswald’s murder two days later. Condensed to a one-hour presentation, the tapes showcase the non-network affiliated KXOL and its worthwhile effort to cover the tragedy locally and on the scene. Listeners will hear North Texas radio notables Russ Bloxom, Roy Eaton, Bruce Neal and others as they report the events in November, 1963.

The program will also stream on the internet at www.thehificlub.net, and can also be heard this weekend over KPIR-1420AM in Granbury, KLDE-104.9FM in San Angelo, and on the North Texas Radio for the Blind. Check www.thehificlub.net/affiliates.html for days and times. A podcast of the recordings will be posted to the “Hi-Fi Club” website by November 25.

Chief David Kunkle Hearts Eric Celeste

Remember when Eric Celeste used to work here? Those were good times, eh? That was back when he was a journalist and did journalism. Now, as we’ve reported in this space, he’s a finger-gun-shooting salesman. So it took me down memory lane when a FrontBurnervian passed along a link to an Unfair Park story about Chief David Kunkle’s retirement, in which he said:

“One thing I was going to tell the media, to give them tomorrow, by the way, is the article in the September 2004 of the Observer written by Eric Celeste. Because a lot of the people who cover us don’t understand the history and environment I came into in 2004. That article does a good job talking about internal politics and external issues affecting the department.”

It pains me to post this.

An Oral History of the Decade of Dirk: Deleted Scenes

In case a 7,000-word-plus oral history of Dirk Nowitzki wasn’t enough for you, after the jump, a few more quotes from the Big German that I couldn’t work into the piece.

Continue reading "An Oral History of the Decade of Dirk: Deleted Scenes"

Jeff Whittington to Work Blue Tonight?

As has been mentioned in this space previously, there are two Jeff Whittingtons. There is the one who produces the show Think on KERA and who hosts the call-in show Everything You Didn’t Ever Ask Glenn Mitchell. This Jeff is mild-mannered, polite. Then there is the foul-mouthed, gun-slinging Jeff that has been known to make remarks so patently crude and offensive that they’ve cleared out barrooms.

Which one will show up tonight to emcee the premiere installment of the DMA’s “State of the Arts” discussion series? Hint: his interlocutors will be Veletta Lill and Ann Williams.

Why Ross Perot Has the President in His Hip Pocket

Speaking here yesterday, FOX political analyst Brit Hume credited Dallas’ Ross Perot Sr.–he called him the “little guy” with the charts–for first focusing public attention on federal budget deficits during Perot’s run for the presidency in 1992. Back then the annual deficit was around $250 billion; today’s it’s upwards of $1.6 trillion. So, when we bumped into the billionaire businessman at last night’s bash for the Museum of Nature & Science, we asked if he sees any hope for getting the current deficit under control. “Not right now, because they’re printing money left and right,” Perot replied. “I thought our numbers were bad [in '92], but the ones today are makin’ our numbers look good.” Then, with a flourish, he pulled a crisp new bill out of his wallet and held it up, grinning. It had President Obama’s picture in the middle and the inscription, “One Trillion Dollars.” [FB commenter "Parker," I did this one especially for you.]

Tom Hicks Maneuvering to Keep Rangers

Randy Galloway doesn’t think that’s a good thing. According to Galloway, neither does the Ranger staff:

“I work for Tom, I wanted Tom to be successful at this, but, frankly, we can’t sell Tom,” said one. “Our fans, for the most part, will not buy Tom. And our former season-ticket holders, and we’d lost a lot of those because of Mr. Hicks, will not come back if Tom is still the owner.”

Really? That’s the problem in selling tickets? The owner?

Leading Off (11/20/09): Patently Unfair Media Criticism Edition

1. The Dallas Observer’s Sam Merten nearly derailed the entire City Hall corruption case.

2. Some people would say that the appearance of the word “some” in a headline is a sure sign of a newspaper covering for a thin local angle on a national story.

3. If a fire breaks out in east Fort Worth, and NBC5 isn’t there to provide “team coverage,” does anybody care?

The Next SideDish Supper Club On Sale NOW!

Hurry. It’s going to be wild!

Hensarling: Build a Bank Fund, And It Will be Used

Dallas’ own Jeb Hensarling is among the opposition speaking out against financial regulatory reform legislation approved by the House Financial Services Committee today. One of the measures would require big banks to pay fees into a $150 billion fund to be used in case one of them fails.

Here’s what “the GOP’s Most Powerful Nobody” said:

“Pre-funding the fund would lead to more bailouts because the fund would be sitting and available to be used,” said Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas. “If you build it they will come, it will create an expectation that the fund would be used.”

Brit Hume: 2010 May Look Like ‘94

Veteran newsman Brit Hume says Democrats are in “fairly serious trouble” because unemployment–the most important economic indicator in political terms–is likely to remain above 10 percent through 2010. Speaking at a Dallas luncheon today, the senior political commentator for FOX News (pictured) also said most Americans are more concerned with budget deficits than with reforming health care, especially after passage of the “bloated, reckless,” $787 billion stimulus bill. While President Obama has bet the ranch on health reform, Hume said, the public believes the reform tab will only worsen the deficit at a time when they’re “really worried about it.”

The president has pressed so hard on health care–and on other initiatives like climate-change legislation–because he knows that, with next year’s elections looming, it’s now or never, the newsman said. So, “what will President Obama do if he and his party suffer major losses next year?” Hume asked. He doubts the “quite liberal” president will move to the right, as Bill Clinton did after Democrats were rousted in the 1994 elections, but “that’s a decision [Obama] will face,” he said. Hume was guest speaker at the Salvation Army’s annual Doing the Most Good luncheon at the Anatole.

Hank Stuever Is Not Assaulted While on Book Tour in Frisco

As I’ve mentioned here before, you need to read Hank Stuever’s new book, Tinsel, which is about Christmas in Frisco (and our consumer culture and a bunch of other stuff). The past two days, he’s been in town to do readings. How’d it go? He has a full report on his blog. My favorite part:

No one at the reading seemed at all confrontational. THAT sort of thing they save for e-mail, some of which would curl your hair. Maybe someday I’ll share it. (News flash, according to one e-mailer yesterday morning: I am nothing but a “self-satisfied faggot” — yow! — who should put my book where the sun don’t shine. Um, sir or ma’am? Do you mean all the copies of my book or just one? They make much less ideal Christmas presents after that happens.)

He also makes some trenchant observations about the Santa at Stonebriar Centre. Check it out. And, of course, we’ve excerpted the book in our December issue. So if you’ve got a short attention span and aren’t quite ready to commit to the entire book, check that out, too.

FrontBurner Is All-Powerful, Fixes Downtown One Problem at a Time

Earlier this month, I mused on the unsightly, maladjusted pavers in the sidewalk in front of the Meyerson. A formerly elected FrontBurnervian passes along this photo that shows the problem is now being remedied.

Allison V. Smith Takes Pretty Pictures of Marfa

A purple-pants-wearing FrontBurnervian passes along a link from today’s NYT of a slide show of Marfa foodie images taken by sometime D Magazine contributor Allison V. Smith. See it with your eyes. Now.

David Hopkins Explains Himself

David is the author of the comic we run in the “print product” called Souvenir of Dallas (illustrated by Paul Milligan). He’s got another comic that debuts today in Quick called We’ve Never Met. On his site, you’ll find a link to that comic and an explanation of what it is he’s trying to accomplish with it — some heady stuff.

Congrats, David, on your new baby. (And what you said to me earlier today in that e-mail about that panel featuring Councilwoman Angela Hunt in the Souvenir of Dallas we’re working on for January was spot on.)

Craig’s List Ad of the Day

I saw this from David Burrows’ Twitter feed. The ad begins:

633 Direct seeks slightly obsessive, but non-psycho sales rep. We are seeking two sales reps who will relentlessly pursue new business like contestants on Survivor pursue food. We’d rather you not be totally nuts — we’ve had reps like that, and it didn’t work out so well — but slightly obsessive is okay with us.

Dreher Reads Sarah Palin So You Don’t Have To

The News columnist reviews Going Rogue today for “All Things Considered” on NPR.

More From the Museum of Nature & Science’s Groundbreaking

Glenn brought us some details yesterday from the groundbreaking. Ryan Jones from our web team was there, too, and offers more reportage after the jump:

Continue reading "More From the Museum of Nature & Science’s Groundbreaking"

Are All Texas Marriages After 2005 Illegal?

This is a good one. Lawyer Barbara Ann Radnofsky, the Democrat running for Atty General, took a close look at recent constitutional amendments, including the anti-gay marriage amendment passed five years ago and — whoops! 

Here’s the wording:

“This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.”

So anything approximating marriage in this state is not recognized as of 2005?  I love lawyers.

Leading Off (11/19/09)

1. WFAA told the story of TxDOT using untested equipment to protect HOV lanes. Several accidents (and some deaths) have occurred while this untested equipment was being used. In October, however, some of this equipment was replaced. This new equipment was tested. It can withstand up to 200 hits. I’m not a great driver, so anything TxDOT can do to make the roads safer is fine by me.

2. Last week, I told you Texans were optimistic, saving more, and spending less. I also maybe brought up the whole war on Christmas thing. But let’s not argue about that. Instead, let’s talk about this survey, which tells us Texans are ready for the holidays. Based on a report by Deloitte, Texans will be spending more money on this year’s holidays than people in other parts of the country. Most of that money will be spent on entertainment. So start throwing some parties.

3. Another publication folded yesterday as J.C. Penney announced this year would be its last “big book” as people would rather order online than from a catalog. But don’t worry, journalism students. An old Dallas Morning News with JFK’s signature went for $39,000 at an auction recently. So, see, newspapers are worth something. And my education was not a waste.

Mary Kay Making Bank in China

The Addison-based cosmetics company says its sales in China are up 20 percent over last year, according to this piece on Slate.  Because its usual direct-sales method was outlawed until a few years ago, Mary Kay has had to work differently there, doing most of its selling out of showrooms.

Its Shanghai corporate office prominently displays maxims of founder Mary Kay Ash, in both Mandarin and English. Here’s a noteworthy tidbit:

The uplifting talk and homilies strike a lot of Americans as hokey. But in Shanghai, aspirational phrases are part of the lingua franca. We heard the motto for Shanghai’s upcoming Expo 2010 repeated for us several times yesterday: “Better Life, Better City.”

So there’s something that Shanghai and Dallas have in common: Aspirational phrases are part of the lingua franca here too: “Live Large. Think Big,” anyone?

Perot Jr. Says New Museum Has Room to Expand

Does Ross Perot Jr. know something we don’t? Speaking at today’s groundbreaking for the new Museum of Nature & Science at Dallas’ struggling Victory Park, which he helped develop, Perot said, “Mr. Mayor! Where is the mayor?!” before pointing to City Councilmember Dwaine Caraway, sitting in the audience down front. Mayor Pro Tem Caraway (pictured at far left with Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano and Perot) is not quite the mayor yet, but he’ll be well-positioned if Tom Leppert ever steps down to run for the Senate. Leppert, who’s in China, nonetheless made a video appearance at today’s bash for the museum, a $185 million project that got a jump-start when Ross Jr. and his siblings donated $50 million in honor of their parents, Margot and Ross Perot Sr. The 14-story edifice on 4.7 acres can’t hurt the Victory project, which has been attempting lately to attract a better tenant/demographic mix. And, Ross Jr. said, “What people don’t understand is there’s enough room here for the museum to double in size.”

Rick Perry To Be Installed as Governor-For-Life

Kay Bailey Hutchison’s campaign is falling apart. Her heart is clearly not in it. Yesterday’s Houston ”event“  with Dick Cheney was only the latest in a desultory series. Two-hour delay? Five-minute speech? A crowd of 150?

A FrontBurnerian emails:

Ugh.  She shaved her legs for that? Call me old fashioned, but I’d envisioned a ballroom fundraiser with hundreds of fat cat contributors, anxious to hobnob with the former veep and delivering bundles of checks, regardless of whether she  attended or not.

 

Continue reading "Rick Perry To Be Installed as Governor-For-Life"

How FrontBurner Was Born

And Pegasus News, Unfair Park, Huffington Post, etc, etc.