RE: HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK

How’d that game turn out, Tim? Oh. Never mind.

RE: EPISCOPALIAN WARS

Discussions about religion have a way of going on for eternity, but since the October issue of D delves into the foray with “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do,” we’ll keep the dialogue going, if for no other reason than to encourage you to buy a copy on the newsstand. But there are other reasons–like this keen observation from a church-knowing FBvian:
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DALLAS MAN DIES AFTER EATING OYSTERS

Our good buddies at CBS 11 have the story. Apparently the guy didn’t read Nancy’s story “Death on the Half Shell.” A must-read for anyone who likes raw oysters.

HOTEL PALOMAR ON FIRE?

That’s what a nearby working FrontBurnervian says:

My office is on central and hotel Palomar is on fire. Incredible.

Very developing.

Update: I count more than a dozen trucks and engines. The FrontBurnervian adds, “Tons of black smoke all over central. It’s now hard to tell if it is the hotel or mockingbird station.” The 5300 E Mockingbird address is Palomar. I think.

Update, II: WFAA has video. It’s Palomar. Looks to be contained.

THE WINTER, HE IS CONTENT

But not yet satisfied. You remember Winter, don’t you? The local fella who has made it his mission to visit every standalone Starbucks in North America, documenting his quest online? You may have read about him in a Katie Award-winning article in the print version of FrontBurner. Winter is still at it and still getting media attention, most recently from Radar Online.

RE: HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK

A fellow Hawk FBvian writes:

I wonder how much Jimmy Three Sticks has bet with his cuzzin/big boss Bobby Decherd on the game?

Good question indeed. Jim Moroney graduated from Cistercian in 1974. Robert Decherd graduated from St. Mark’s in 1969. Wick, if I see either one of them tonight, I’ll give them your regards.

RE: BARNEYS

A PR-producing FBvian offers more:

While I totally agree with Jennifer’s assessment of the clothes, store, and display, the event got the following ratings:

Tent: A (We’ve all seen the tent before but the interior arrangement of couches, coffee tables, red lighting, etc. was the best the tent’s insides have ever looked.)

Guests: A- (Definitely the crowd that should have been at the W opening instead of the Plano wannabe’s and working girl types. Great hair. Watchable clothes. Numerous well-known faces in the crowd as Jennifer mentioned, but many more MIA. They must have stayed home to watch CSI.)

Food: B- (In the store, there were just a handful of folks passing trays of food. But, hey, this crowd is thin for a reason. They don’t require much food. But the promise of mounds of food has been on the invitation. So we headed into the tent to find the treasured promise. The promise was there, if you waited long enough in the wait-forever crowds. Cookies and brownies were passed. At least that’s what someone rumored.)

Service: C (In the tent, dirty glasses and plates were everywhere. The servers looked shell shocked. It almost seemed as if they had never worked a party before. In a couple of cases, servers were seen high-fiving it with some guests.)

Entertainment: A (LaBelle belted it out. Betcha the folks residing across the way at Hillcrest Cemetery were even rocking.)

Favors/Memorabilia: N for non-existent. (The Jack Boles folks did thank us for coming. Guess our memories of the night will just have to do.)

RE: MAYORAL FIELD

Adam, interesting to hear, but I’m not sure that’s news. Nobody, including D in our June story on the mayoral race, “Dead in the Water,” has truly considered fast-rising State Rep. Anchia a candidate for Dallas mayor in 2007, and he told me exactly that when I talked to him last spring. Some columnists have been trial-ballooning him for their own agendas, but it’s a nonstarter. Always has been.

Anchia may be a mayoral option for 2011, and likely would take it in a cakewalk if he wanted, but most no-b.s. political observers here think that he will have bigger fish to fry in terms of political office. That could mean state or national. As it did with Ron Kirk, a mayoral stint might prove politically fatal–at least until there’s a strong mayor set-up in place. Anchia’s a smart guy; he’ll make the right call.

MAYORAL FIELD WINNOWED BY ONE

Last we heard, State Rep. Rafael Anchia was mulling over a mayoral run. I heard last night that he’s made up his mind: Nope. He’s not going to run. Now we’re down to, what, 14 candidates? Kidding. Please don’t make me list them all.

SEXY SECRETS OF THE COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS

CMT’s eight-episode series Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team premieres tonight. TV Guide brings us a Q&A with Kelli Finglass, the director of the DCC.

RE: EPISCOPALIAN WARS

Another church-knowing FBvian has a slightly different take on the place of Christ Church in Plano in Episcopalian evolution. This is getting good:
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BARNEYS IS BACK

Yes, dear readers. The doors have officially opened at Barneys. And of course the retailer celebrated in style last night. The invitation to the grand opening said to expect a “mind-blowing musical performance,” and I suppose Patti LaBelle fit that bill. Nothing says “super chic department store grand opening” quite like a diva on stage.

Here’s the skinny. All the usual suspects were there: John Reoch, Jan Strimple, Shelle Bagot Sills, Howard Rachofsky, Heidi Dillon, Niven Morgan, Kimberly and Justin Whitman. Interestingly, though, there were many faces I didn’t recognize (out-of-towners?), but I can honestly say that everyone was beautiful—and beautifully dressed, including FIG’s Marlene Fogarty, who was stunning in her Balenciaga (no matter how humble she was about it). How often does that really happen? Let’s face it. There are always a few fashion faux pas at every party, no matter how well-off the crowd.
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RE: ADVICE TO THE DMN

(Okay, okay, I know the FB Nation is bored to tears. But I promised I would post it.) A News-working FrontBurnervian critiques my critique:
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MAKE US PROUD

The Dallas-Fort Worth area has a few representatives setting out for a national–even international–stage in a couple of intense competitions. We wish them the very best and hope they bring home the gold. How do I know about these contenders? A couple of press releases that found their way into my email inbox. Snippets from each:

21 year-old Ron Kim from Dallas and Russ Watson (23) from Longview (living in Dallas), recently beat out over 40,000 others to qualify for Team USA in the World Cyber Games, the world’s largest e-sports competition with over 2.5 million participants.

Best of luck guys. You, too, Granger:

GRANGER HEADS FOR NEW YORK CITY TO COMPETE FOR THE
HILL’S 2006 NATIONAL PETFIT™ CHALLENGE CHAMPION TITLE

Local Finalist from Mesquite, TX, Discovered the Thin Pet Within and Will Join Top Challenger Cats and Dogs from Across the Country at the National Final in October

Go get ‘em.

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL GAME OF THE WEEK

Tonight Cistercian takes on St. Mark’s. It’s the first time, I believe, that the two schools have faced each other in a varsity football contest. If the third quarter of the game were spent taking the SAT and the results could somehow be figured into the final score, no question the mighty Hawks of Cistercian would prevail. As it is, though, I’m afraid the Lions of St. Mark’s are the heavy favorite. Adam (bock-bock) wouldn’t take a bet with me. But one of his braver classmates wagered $20 and gave Cistercian 14 points. There the line stands.

FRIDAY FUN

Today’s Friday Fun is brought to us by a friendly FrontBurnervian, and it’s infectious. That’s a pun, see. ‘Cause the game is called Infect. You control a virus and it’s your job to attack the red blood cells, all to a funky soundtrack. You can upgrade after each level. Get to it.

CAN SOMEBODY HELP THIS WINO?

A graveling, nose-of-spice-tobacco-black cherry-berry-and-cassis lovin’ FrontBurnervian Wino sends this message about a bottle:

I’ve fallen in love with Verasion Cabs, their Black Bart Syrah, and the 2003 Krupp Brothers Estates Stagecoach Vineyard. Problem is that I’ve shot my mouth off about them and the only place I know who carries them (Chateau Wine Sellers) is sold out…of all of it. Aargh!!! I’m hosting a dinner party next week and I’ve promised these wines to my guests. Any idea where I might be able to get my hands on some? Please? Help? Please?

I feel your pain pirate, that’s why I don’t entertain anymore. Here’s my advise: call for Chinese, screw open a bottle of Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Riesling, turn your HDTV to TNT and watch back-to-back-to-back-to-back Law & Order. Put the money you saved into your 401-K and call me in the morning. Back to you, Laura.

RE: JEAN-JACQUES TAYLOR

Mike Fisher from Dallas Blog (among other things) thinks even less of Taylor. He writes:

With all due respect to your charitable review of JJT’s ability to “break” news, if you piled atop one another the combined editions of the DMN in which JJT “broke” a story, the total mass of your assembled stack would not be enough to “break” an eggshell. Fraley at least offered an acidic approach. Blackistone at least had the potential of gravitas. Galloway “gits” the man-of-the-people thing. JJT? he has mastered little more than the ability to “slap five” with players (and almost certainly couldn’t use “acidic” or “gravitas” in a sentence).

T.O. HAD AN “ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE”

So says Chief Kunkle. He acknowledges that he wouldn’t know the truth if he had 100 officers looking into the case. I hope T.O. gets help, privately, if he needs it.

RE: EPISCOPALIAN WARS

Lots of very thoughtful and insightful responses so far to “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” in the October issue. I mean, where else but here can you find intelligent, well-written analysis of the overlap between Episcopalians and Baptists in the context of a visit to Christ Church in Plano? Eat your heart out, Bible Girl. Now read this from a church history-minded FBvian:
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RE: ADVICE TO THE DMN

Wick, a Belo-working FBvian compliments you. No, wait–I take that back:

That story Wick posted was interesting. These media bosses have such big brains.

But ya know, their grand ideas — more Web news, more local news, more youth newspapers, more editions for seniors and so on — actually require a few journalists to execute. So what do the bosses do? They cut costs by laying off or buying out journalists. Wick himself recommended that the News lose 200, not 111 people, and slash their salaries.

It’s a mixed signal, for sure. More work to do. Fewer people to do it.

Or maybe these bosses are all secretly investing in technology to develop and produce droids that can do the work of human journalists. Imagine that: labor that doesn’t talk back and can work 24/7. Brilliant.

AD AGE MISSPELLS CUBAN’S NAME

I’m sure they’ll correct it. So here’s a screen grab.

ASHLEE THINKS CHICAGO IS “A GREAT BROADWAY”

Avert your eyes and God help your ears: Ashlee Simpson stars in Chicago, the Musical. Check the YouTube link, if you dare.

NANOTECH STILL NANORIFFIC

In case you’ve wandered around the Convention Center and wondered what all of the nerds are doing (I’m nerdy enough that I can say that), it’s the mentioned-before nanoTX convention. I checked it out yesterday and saw a whole bunch of machines whose purposes and functions were entirely beyond me (I’m not nerdy enough to decipher). Eric Berger, Houston Chronicles SciGuy, checked it out too. Notably, he got to hear Jim Von Ehr, profile subject in July’s DallasCEO, speak. The gist: Nanotechnology is more than a buzzword.

THE KUNKLE-DODD BUSINESS

[standing, clapping] Matt Pulle gets it done. Pretty much everything you need to know about Chief Kunkle’s relationship with Sarah Dodd is in his story in the Observer and his follow-up post on their blog. I especially like his lead:

David Kunkle could have hung up the phone. Or bullied us into killing our story. He could have tried to guilt us by saying that he expected the Dallas Observer to be above writing gossip. Instead, the still-married Dallas police chief talked amiably about his fledgling relationship with television reporter Sarah Dodd even as he struggled with the same questions everyone has when they first date someone new.

Where exactly is this going?

The lead shows compassion. A mature sense of humor. As opposed to this line, which shows that Pulle is a real juvenile bastard:

This is the same world that greeted the revelation of Dodd’s relationship with Kunkle with glee, thinking it would stem the rise of an award-winning reporter with a penchant for rubbing people–though apparently not the chief–the wrong way.

Genius. [clapping harder]