THOSE WILY WYLYS

The WSJ has this story about potential trouble for the Wylys. Tomorrow a U.S. Senate panel called the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations will hold a hearing to decipher the legality of an off-shore tax-avoidance method the Wylys, and rich people like them, employ. The article’s lead gives a good example of how it works: Sam Wyly suggested a tax-exempt company based in the Isle of Man buy a $41,125 pocket watch once owned by FDR. Wyly himself doesn’t own, but he says the company has loaned it to him, which is why he gets to keep it in his house. Same goes for jewelry family members wear, some Aspen vacation home they use, and the $287,000 painting Sam’s daughter has hanging in her home.

In addition to the Senate hearing, a federal grand-jury investigation here in Dallas is checking out “the Wyly’s family affairs,” as the WSJ puts it. Developing.

RE: COPS SWARM TURTLE CREEK

This is the new media. Our curious FBvian answers her own question with more video. The cops have a guy on the ground. Building security says it was an attempted robbery at Inwood National Bank.

COPS SWARM TURTLE CREEK CENTER

A curious FBvian wants to know what’s going on. And she even sends video. (Note to FB Nation: that’s the sort of effort we expect from all of you.)

B. EDWARD EWING KEEPS HIS MANHATTAN DIGS

The “Private Properties” column in the WSJ (sub. req.) today says that the pink blazer-wearing, courtside-seats-having buyout artist B. Edward Ewing has taken off the market a New York apartment listed for more than a month for $15.3 million. Not sure why, but we want to visit.

MATT MOSLEY ON THE KEITH DAVIS PAYROLL?

Given the news that Davis lied to cops, you think Mosely wants a do-over on his column from earlier in the week?

RE: DUDE, IT WAS LAURA’S EYE CANDY

A birthday-following FBvian says that in addition to talking about Santiago Calatrava’s bridges, we should be sending him best wishes on his 55th. Feliz cumpleaños to a truly over-the-top guy.

THIS WEEK’S FREEDOM TO WRITE ALERT

Some good news amid the bad from PEN Center USA’s Freedom to Write Committee, says PEN’s Katusha Galitzine in LA:

Writer Perihan Magden was acquitted by a court in Istanbul today, 27 July 2006. She had been charged under Article 218 of the Turkish Penal Code for having “turned people against military service”. The charges relate to an article entitled “Conscientious Objection is a Human Right”, published in December 2005.

Click here for letter-writing information on journalist Li Yuanlong, sentenced to two years in prison in China on subversion charges for articles posted online.

RE: DOWNTOWN SHOOTING

The DMN reports that police have arrested a suspect in the downtown shooting–remember? The one that Li’l Jon’s “Put Yo Hood Up” allegedly started? There’s no mention of DJ Drop’s denial that he played that record. Some say Lil Wayne’s “Money on My Mind” caused mayhem–party people tend to throw money in the air when that song comes on, and others scramble for the loot–but not the mayhem that led to the shooting.

BELO ON SEVERANCE

Belo’s second quarter report is out, with some hefty, indicative increases in the online side. Not that they seem to know what it really means, in terms of revenue or staffing. Thus the Orwellian jargon about upcoming newsroom layoffs:
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I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP

Las Vegas is outlawing the feeding of the homeless/indigent at public parks.

Apparently the city feels it will help the homeless by forcing them to eat at KFC or Mickey D’s. The ACLU says the law is unconstitutional on its face.

I say, this is so good that I wonder if the producers of “The Daily Show” actually paid Las Vegas to pass the ordinance.

DUDE, IT WAS LAURA’S EYE CANDY

Nice piece from Metro columnist James Ragland today on the efforts by City Manager Mary Suhm (one of our secret sweethearts here in Hampton Court Towers) to make the Calatrava bridge numbers work out so the city can build it after all.

That is, until a most curious omission in this graf:

Longtime civic activist Sharon Boyd has taken to calling the Calatrava bridges “stupid eye candy.”

Is it possible that Ragland didn’t see Jim Schutze’s forehead-slapping quote from Her Honor in which the “eye candy” metaphor first appeared? It’s a double diss–to the Mayor, source of the description, and to Schutze, who posted what may be one of the most gratuitously self-inflicted mayoral lines since her quip that she missed the April 9 downtown Mega-March because she was shopping at Whole Foods.

NO TO DEUTSCHE-MART

UK Times Online reports that Wal-Mart can’t make it work in Germany. Among the reasons:

The US retail giant has struggled to capture market share ever since entering the crowded German retail market in 1997. It has been hurt by cut-throat competition, tepid consumer spending, and been frustrated by Germany’s tight labour and trade laws.

If I were sitting in Bentonville right now, and I’m mildly happy that I’m not, I’d be giving this some thought. Like, what about all those lederhosen we bought from China for Oktoberfest?

RE: CELEBRITY SPOTTED

An industrious FrontBurnervian checks out Live Flight Tracker > N707JT ” href=”http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N707JT”>FlightAware and notes Travolta is without plane.

Apparently, John Travolta flew into DFW on the 25th and sent his 707 back to LAX that evening. Assuming he’s not using one of his other planes for the return flight, you can track his travel home on that same site.

RE: COP STEALS TOILET PAPER

Headline-writing FrontBurnervians have taken a stab, including:

Kunkle Solves Crack Problem
Kunkle Takes Sh#t From Nobody
Kunkle Leaves No Skidmarks in Toilet Paper Caper

RE: BILL BARRETT

FrontBurnervian David Burrows tells us:

In all the time of working with Bill on Angie’s TV show, I had no idea that huge Superbike racer Ben Spies was his grandson. This explains Bill’s story he once told me about outsmarting the German police when he was driving a 720i BMW while speeding down the autobahn with the lights off. It must run in the family. (More on Spies.)

RE: COP STEALS TOILET PAPER

KUNKLE WIPES DEPT. CLEAN

BELO PLEASES WALL STREET

Belo’s stock is up a bit today, thanks to a better-than-expected quarter. TV revenue was up, costs were down, and some tax stuff helped. I doubt the mood in the newsroom at DMN is any cheerier.

COP STEALS TOILET PAPER

Our friend Trey Garrison reports on Dallas Blog that Chief Kunkle terminated a 12-year veteran of the force for swiping toilet paper (and paper towels). Is there any question that the man has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to cop misconduct? (And, Adam, I need a punny headline for this story. What you got for me?)

ZAC CRAIN IS GREEDY

A running-for-mayor FrontBurnervian wonders,

Is it a good or a bad thing that the Democratic Party is now actively stealing from the little ol’ ZfM campaign?

Zac is asking $7 for ‘07. The Dems have launched “$6 for ‘06.” I was no math major, but it seems like a it’d be a good idea to run for office in about 90 years or so.

JESSICA’S MOM DRAWS THE LINE

According to this gossipy gossip, Jessica Simpson’s mom stopped a photo shoot for OK! Magazine because “the pose was too risque and made Jessica look slutty.” Poor, poor Joe.

CELEBRITY SPOTTED

An informed FrontBurnervian saw a big-time celeb at the new L.A. Fitness in Las Colinas:

John Travolta walked in about 10:00 last night to use the bathroom and look around. He did the same thing Wednesday night as well. Apparently, he is a member at the Los Angeles location. He is staying at the Four Seasons and is in town for jet training.

So keep your eyes open.

FRIDAY FUN

Greetings, FrontBurnervian-son. Today’s Friday Fun is a well-illustrated yet somehow frustrating game called Code of the Samurai. (You play the Samurai.) Jumping with accuracy onto the ledges that crumble brings much difficulty. Patience, Grasshopper(s).

NEW MAGAZINE FOR DALLAS

Well, not really for Dallas. For the North Oak Cliff-living part of Dallas. Called CliffDweller, its first issue was distributed today. Looks good, and I imagine that in Oak Cliff it will certainly be welcome. Here’s the website.

DALLAS MAKES TOP 10 REAL ESTATE MARKETS

According to Mark Nash at Coldwell Banker, Dallas has inched its way into the top 10 markets for real estate appreciation. Here’s his list with comments:
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RE: BILL BARRETT

An FBvian who is a member of the International Association of Obituarists tells us:

It’s not as if people wouldn’t notice [the omission of Angie Barrett]. And they are. My first call on this came in early this morning from the head of the International Association of Obituarists, and calls and e-mail have been zipping among death mongers around the world. Likely this will soon be posted, with full critiques, on www.obitpage.com and obituaryforum.blogspot.com.

You can pretty much see where someone wrecked the story. The part about the first wife ends abruptly and that’s likely where the part about Angie would have gone. Talked to a DMN editor who said that it’s the second biggest topic of newsroom chatter today.