HOT MAYORAL RUMOR OF THE DAY

It’s racing up and down the business community, and the enthusiam is so palpable there could be a draft movement by tomorrow. Who will run against Laura Miller in 2007? None other than Harriet Miers. Consider this. She’s got name ID. Unlike any other of the mentioned potentials, she’s run and been elected at-large. After her present job, going back to a law firm would be petty ante. After the beating she just took, it’s a nice recovery. She would be inundated with campaign donations.

I think I like this. Developing…

MARY MAPES FIRES HER SHOTS

Vanity Fair has put its excerpt from her book online. I can’t wait to read the blogs later tonight. I imagine by tomorrow they will have chewed her up and spat her out. She should smile, though–it’ll sell books.

RE: TURNSTILE

Speaking of the stronger-mayor proposal, former City Councilman Bob Stimson stopped by the office just now to give us his thoughts on why the proposal is not a very good one. Stimson is a self-identified “recovering accountant,” so his viewpoint is informed mostly by looking at the budgets. With the budget comes the power, he says. He argues that in the proposed system, the city manager becomes the alter ego of the mayor. The two of them can run the whole show, he says. Yes, but can’t the council just keep firing managers until the mayor picks one the council likes? Nope, says Stimson. The language in the proposal states that the mayor determines the manager’s “compensation,” which could theoretically include such a huge golden parachute that it would be financially unpleasant for the city to do so. Also, as near as Stimson can tell, no other city in the country has a hybird system of government similar to the one currently being proposed.

Note: not one of Stimson’s arguments included any sort of turnstile imagery.

JON FRIEDMAN HEARTS EVAN SMITH

The MarketWatch columnist justifies his trip to Puerto Rico by gushing over the editor of Texas Monthly. My favorite part of the article:

Sitting at the hotel bar, the boyishly handsome Smith took a sip of scotch and proclaimed, “I do the best Q&As of anybody in the business. Period.”

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RE: TURNSTILE

A city-government-watching FrontBurnervian takes me to task:

I disagree. Sherry is a voice of reason. If a majority of the council want to do the deal with Mr. Hunt and the Mayor doesn’t (the case right now) and both can fire the city manager how is a city manager supposed to function or back her staff. Remember the Mayor was yelling at the same assistant city manager a few months ago for letting another deal slip away. The current proposal doesn’t make sense to anyone who has covered city government.

To be clear, I wasn’t arguing one way or the other on the stronger-mayor proposal. I was only pointing out that Jacobson’s argument wasn’t a very good one. As I told this FrontBurnervian, I think the problem for both campaigns (those fer and those agin) is separating the people (i.e. Mayor Miller) from the policy.

JESSICA SIMPSON HAS AWARD-WINNING BODY PART(S)

According to a poll in In Touch Weekly,
Jessica Simpson was voted Best Cleavage in Hollywood. I’m sure her daddy is proud. Seriously. I bet he stuffed the ballot box for her. And, yes, I realize how creepy that is and how creepy that sounds.

A TURNSTILE, YOU SAY? THE HORROR, THE HORROR.

In her column today, Sherry Jacobson argues against the strong-mayor proposal and in favor of City Manager Mary Suhm. In it, she notes Mayor Miller’s propensity to threaten termination, then adds:

Arming this particular mayor with the ability to ax city staffers, directly or indirectly, surely would require the installation of a turnstile at City Hall’s back door to accommodate the outflow of bodies.

Riiiiiight. ‘Cause, you know, turnover at City Hall–a City Hall currently under FBI investigation, no less–would be a terrible, terrible thing. Rather than giving a Dallas mayor the authority to hire the people s/he wants working for her/him, we really should think about the job security of city staffers. That’s much more important than the growth of the city.

RE: LUV HEARTS VEGAS

An airport-knowing FrontBurnervian also read that Las Vegas business article and offers this:

I think the most interesting fact brought up in Velotta’s piece is Southwest’s “penchant to change its mind.” He mentioned that last week the airline moved to Denver International despite vowing that it could never operate at that airport effectively. Now that Kelleher is making going back on his word the norm, let’s indeed look for Southwest to move its headquarters if Wright stays in place, but not to Houston, Las Vegas, or Phoenix — rather to DFW, an airport that is still more efficient than Midway, Baltimore, Hobby, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Philadelphia (according to DOT Data for February, March, April 2005) and has a terminal waiting for them. Then, much to the delight of local residents, we’ll see Love Field going the way of Stapleton.

By the way, Forest City Enterprises was the developer that transformed Stapleton from airport to neighborhood. Does that name ring a bell? It should. Forest City has the pleasure of bringing life back to the Mercantile downtown.

HORCHOW TO NYT READERS: “YA’LL COME VISIT”

An alert FBvian points us to a Times travel story by Sally Horchow (reg. req.), accompanied by a pretty picture taken by Mark Graham. Horchow declares:

Long a shopping and foodie draw for Southwestern visitors, Dallas is now attracting international art connoisseurs, who formerly bypassed Big D’s offerings in favor of Fort Worth and Marfa.

RE: BLOCKBUSTER BUMMER

A BBI-watching FrontBurner points out there were some developments last week. Developing.

BLOCKBUSTER BUMMER

We haven’t heard about BBI in a while, have we? Just an informed opinion here, but I think we can expect another round of layoffs in the coming weeks. Just wait.

CUBES RESPONDS

Say this about Mark Cuban: He wastes little time responding to emails. He has this to say about investing in Weinstein:

We have a very defined range of budgets and types of movies. We stay out of the blockbuster business. That is exactly their business. We are already partnering with them on movies. So its not comp at all.

And if they ever make moves in our direction, well, we will know it a lot faster as an investor.

MARK CUBAN HELPS OUT DOWNTRODDEN MOGULS

Harvey Weinstein, former head of Miramax, received $500 million from investors to start a new movie studio. Among the investors: Mark Cuban. The piece doesn’t say how much Cuban handed over, but I’m wondering what’s in it for him. Why would he invest with Weinstein when he himself has 2929 Entertainment and HDNet Films? I emailed Cubes this morning asking for enlightenment. Developing.

RE: COURTHOUSE POOP

Remember the case of the cab driver and the dried fecal matter and the pastries? A member of the jury offers his/her anonymous statement after the jump. It’s lengthy, but it provides insight into what went on during deliberations, if you care.
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RE: LUV HEARTS VEGAS

An link-following FrontBurnervian takes me to task for my “Kelleher is bluffing” comments:

No offense, but Velotta doesn’t say the Kelleher is bluffing, nor did Kelleher ever single out Vegas. The article says that Houston or Phoenix is a more likely destination than Vegas. I would say that Phoenix is probably their top relocation destination, with Chicago probably sitting at the second spot.

I would expect that SWA would eventually leave Dallas were the Wright Amendment not…well, amended. The airline has never been known for wasting time or money, so why would they here (I say this as a former intern from many years ago; they never wasted any money paying me)? That said, I like Wick’s idea, or something similar to play out and make the whole thing moot.

Yes, but then I wouldn’t be able to make the Vegas-y metaphor of bluffing. Oh, and if you’re wondering about “Wick’s idea,” click here.

SPECIAL NOTE TO WAXAHACHIE-RESIDING FRONTBURNERVIANS

If you live in the suburb and have a son or daughter who attends Waxahachie High School (or know someone who does), please e-mail me. I need to ask you a question.

Carry on.

LUV HEARTS VEGAS, BUT NOT ALL THE WAY

Remember when Southwest Airlines’ Herb Kelleher suggested he might move his corporate headquarters to Vegas if Wright isn’t repealed? A business writer in Sin City says he’s bluffing.

THE ANGIE BARRETT GARAGE SALE

So word has been going ‘round that Angie Barrett is having a ‘garage sale.’ One lucky FBvian got a sneak peek at the offerings:

It was an odd assortment of things. A couple of $950 Faberge eggs, free weights, umbrellas, stone flower planters, and her $12K bed, among other objects big and small. Not a huge sale like I’d expected. Just in the garage and spilling out into the driveway.

Or the Matisse sketches just sitting in a cardboard box. Little bottles of perfume, decanters (still filled with Scotch), gym equipment, a wayward Gucci bag. It was just mesmerizing to see in this very carnival-esqe kind of way.

Guess a girl needs to clean her slate for the next go-round.

CELEBRITY SPOTTED

It’s a beautiful day outside, yes? It’d be great to be playing golf, dontcha think? I know someone who agrees. A driving-around FrontBurnervian informs us:

Tiger Woods is at the Hank Haney Golf Ranch in McKinney working with Hank.

Maybe I’ll stop by and give him some tips.

WHEN THE MOON HITS YOUR EYE

I’m not sure what about Dallas says “pizza,” but apparently ABC is looking for a new family for its painfully hard to watch Wife Swap, a “reality show unlike any other” (their words, not mine). No specific instructions were given regarding how to apply (of course), so let’s assume you can just go to the Wife Swap web site. Here are the highlights from the riveting press release:

ABC Television network is currently looking for families to participate on the newest season of the hit show Wife Swap, and they have their heart set on finding one that owns and operates their own pizza establishment. Wife Swap presents two families with very different values who take part in a week long challenge in which the wives from the two families exchange husbands, children and lives (but not bedrooms) to discover what it’s like to live a very different woman’s life. It’s an incredible experience that often changes their lives for the better. Potential families who apply must consist of two parents that have at least one child, ages 5 or older, living at home. Each family who participates will receive a $20,000 honorarium for their time. Anyone who recommends another family that makes it on air will receive a $500 thank you fee.

What I wouldn’t give for a husband, at least one child age 5 or older, and a pizza joint so I could make $20,000.

MORE MIERS FALLOUT

The juicy stuff, the behind the scenes stuff, always comes after the fall, and, unless I’m missing it, is also the stuff the Morning News failed to find today.

The “murder boards” were the mock trials where White House colleagues grilled Miers on constitutional law. The sessions were to prepare her for Senate hearings. But Miers’ answers were so suspect, the White House didn’t invite the outside lawyers who normally assist in the grilling and prepping of the candidate. This, as much as anything, led to Miers’ demise.

SO SHE’S UNQUALIFIED…

At least Harriet Miers is a good person. Just ask West Dallas’ Caroline Ware. A single mother with nine children, Ware came to Miers in the late 1970’s as a pro bono client. Miers took Ware’s case, bailed her out, got the charges dropped, then gave Ware $700 to stave off eviction, hired a registered nurse when Ware had a nervous breakdown, and bought coats and clothes for each of Ware’s children for Christmas.

RE: DAYBREAK

An early-rising FrontBurnervian caught a little bit of some AM programming and files this report:

This morning at about 6:30 AM the daybreak front desk shot to Charlie Gibson for a quick precap of what was going to happen on Good Morning America this morning… and dear Charlie Gibson pulled out a t-shirt that had the new Daybreak logo on it. He then proceeds to pick up the cereal box with everyones mug and was making fun of the fact they sent him an empty cereal box–something along the lines of “beware Dallas, if someone tries to hand you a daybreak cereal box, it’s empty. Why is it empty?” Justin Farmer claimed that they couldnt afford to put anything inside.

It’s always entertaining to watch Charlie Gibson call someone out. Justin and Jackie tried to laugh it off. Justin ended it with “Yeah, that Charlie is the best…”

Cut to commercial.

A riddle: when is an empty box more than an empty box? Answer: when it’s a laughably failed promotional gimmick.

FRIDAY FUN

The first time you play today’s Friday Fun, you’re going to be confused. “What’s the point?” you’ll say, most likely aloud. But then you’ll play it again. You’ll start humming the music. You’ll start berating yourself for not doing better than you did the previous time (again, most likely aloud). Before you know it, you’re having Friday Fun. It’s called Babycal throw. Click on the little fellas to launch their little backpacks, and try to hit the other little fellas. Go get ‘em.

DPD TAKES A STAND

High crime rates? Eh, they’re working on it. Desertion from one’s post? No way. The Dallas Police Department’s refused to hire two New Orleans cops because they went AWOL in the days after Katrina. Deputy Chief Floyd Simpson says, “When you are ready and take an oath of office and you do not fulfill that office, that’s an issue for us…” In other words, continue looking for the 250 police officers DPD needs.