RE: TRINITY RIVER AUDUBON

Nancy, please do give us a report of how the groundbreaking goes. I’m sure Jim Schutze will be interested to read it. That’s one of the things I don’t understand about the fellow. He’s very certain that nothing good will happen in the Trinity. He’s against the road. He’s against the bridges. He’s against the forest itself. It all stinks. So, again, let us know how it looks down there.

TRINITY RIVER AUDUBON CENTER TO BREAK GROUND

I guess the City of Dallas Public Information Office doesn’t read FrontBurner or our magazine cuz I didn’t get the press release announcing tomorrow (today’s) groundbreaking ceremony for the Trinity River Audubon Center. (Thanks, Paige.) Anywhoo, I will be late to work because I plan to attend the 10am event. Loads of bigwigs will be there like John Flicker, pres of National Audubon Society (can you believe his last name is Flicker?), Mary McDermott Cook of the Trinity Trust, Iliana Pena of Audubon Texas, and birdbrain Mayor Laura Miller. (I mean that in a good way.) It’s a great time to be a birder in Dallas. Soon there will be miles of trails, hands-on classes and exhibits, the Children’s Discovery Garden, and much more.

AIRLINES SET TO RIP $ FROM YOUR POCKET

It’s time to plan your summer vacation. Read this and it will make your living room couch look like the only deal in town.

IS DENTON THE NEXT SEATTLE?

Or Omaha, even? That is, is Denton the next hot spot of indie music? It’s a notion worth considering. Yesterday, Preston Jones and Cary Darling at the Star-T considered it. Well done.

ELIZABETH ALBANESE MUGSHOTS

I know Wick told us to stop talking about the Press Club scandal (despite Adam’s poll, which showed a split audience on the subject). But I just wanted to say thank you, Josh Benton.

RE: THE MISSING “U” BILLBOARDS

Ad campaigns that require over-explaining are about as effective as jokes that require the same: “See, the chicken is on one side of the street. For some reason, the chicken chooses to move, via walking or some other mode of transportation, to the other side of the street. The reason and thought-process behind such a decision–the impetus, if you will–is the area wherein the comedy resides. Ergo, ha. Ha ha, in fact.”

THE MISSING “U” BILLBOARDS

Jump for an over-explanation of the campaign from the firm responsible for it:

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RE: MAVERICKS LOSS MAKES MY TUMMY HURT

Couple of notes from basketball folks I respect. First from an online chat with John Hollinger, the stats stud at ESPN.com:

What’s going on with the Mavs? I don’t understand how a team can collapse like they have, especially after how well they did in the regular season.

Hollinger: The Mavs aren’t collapsing; Golden State is playing out of their minds. Look at the run they went on to end the season; this is NOT your typical 42-win team, and if they get past Dallas I would give them great odds of making the conference finals.

And from Bill Simmons, aka The Sports Guy:

And that’s why I believed Golden State had a chance in this series — not just because of the matchups, but because it’s nearly impossible to beat the Warriors in Oakland if the crowd gets involved. So you can imagine my delight when they delivered the goods this weekend. Games 3 and 4 reminded me of The Good Old Days, before the NBA priced out the true fans, constantly blared music on the Jumbotron and inadvertently created an environment in which casual fans couldn’t think for themselves and had no real clue how to affect a game. We’ve reached the point that the only two old-school crowds left belong to Madison Square Garden and the Oakland Coliseum. Sad but true. You can’t overstate this point: There is no way that the Warriors could have beaten a ticked-off Mavs team in Game 4 without their fans coming through like that. It would not have happened.

MAYOR MILLER DEBATES DAVID BONDERMAN AND WINS?

David Bonderman is a founding partner of Texas Pacific, the group that has joined KKR to buy TXU. Mayor Miller is the mayor, who does not want the private equity groups to complete the deal. The two debated in Austin, and then they went at it again in LA at the Milken Institute. The Financial Times was there, and it sounds more heated than De La Hoya v. Mayweather. The FT even gave a bit of an edge to Miller:

In matters of substance, I would say that Mr Bonderman won on points. But Ms Miller and a member of the audience managed to rile him enough to concede a hostage to fortune. I concluded that the senior partners of private equity firms, who are under the spotlight around the world, still have much to learn about how to behave adroitly in public.

Still, sounds like Bonderman got in a few jabs, especially with this:

“My personal psychiatric examination suggests that Laura got into this because she was concerned about environmental issues but, having decided she does not like it, she is looking for anything that suggests it is the wrong idea.”

Zing!

RE: SIGN OF THE TIMES

A co-working FBvian writes:

I also saw a funny bumper sticker at the Target off NW Hwy and Skillman the other day. It was a pink ribbon that said, “Save the Ta-Tas.” I thought if anyone would appreciate it, you would!

And I do.

TEENAGERS TO USE CHEESE IN EXCITING NEW WAYS

The Art Institute of Dallas is holding a teen best-chef competition. All will be required to make something with Starbursts. Or perhaps I’m misreading the press release. You tell me.

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STAR-TELEGRAM REDESIGN GETS BAD MARKS

I still haven’t seen it myself. But an alert FBvian passes long a link to the Star-T blog called Explain Yourself, which is run by the editors. Commentary there suggests not everyone likes the redesign. So what’s the “reveal” with all those U-less billboards that were used to promote the changes? Haven’t seen those either.

SIGN OF THE TIMES

Spotted on the back of an SUV this weekend: black ribbon-shaped bumper sticker (like the yellow ones for the troops and so forth). Written on the black ribbon: “Support Lap Dances.” [slow clapping, but only if my wife isn't reading]

RE: VALDEZ THE VICTIM?

A too-clever-by-half FBvian offers:

The last time a Valdez spilled this much, it cost Exxon a few billion. Can it be that Lupe is all about packin’ heat but can’t take it?

ACL LINEUP STILL ON THE QT

An Austin-dwelling FrontBurnervian has always kept a keen eye on Austin City Limits lineups, including and especially rumors of big acts and buzz bands. But this year, concert organizer Charles Attal has pledged to keep a lid on the lineup until May 15. Why the secrecy? To quote this Austin American-Statesman entry:

Attal is being extremely tight-lipped this year, especially after last year’s lineup was leaked by Robert Wilonsky of the Dallas Observer, so be informed that all the spec floating around is just that.

Way to go, Bob. (Still love you.)

FIRST NELSON WITHOUT NELSON IS A SWELL ONE

My cute little brother sez so.

ERIC CELESTE IS A NERD

God bless him. His live NFL blog was hysterical. I used to be a sports geek like Eric, but I’ve lost my passion for professional sports. However, Eric’s day at the computer made me look back at my favorite sports moments. The days I sat in Arlington Stadium with a scorecard. Sunday afternoons in the end zone of the Cotton Bowl watching the Dallas Texans. Hank Stram and Lenny Dawson. Earl the Pearl and Clyde. Martina and Chrissie. Blue Moon Odom and Albert “Sparky” Lyle. The Broad Street Bullies and the Les Habs. I can’t wait for the NFL draft next year. I’m catering at Eric’s. (However, I still hate the Cowboys.)

RE: BYE-BYE TO CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY PLANTS

Oh, no. Less green in Dallas is a bad thing. I love those succulents with the long red blooms. Hope the city plans a plant sale. Make some money so we can make this happen.

BATTING SECOND

1. Don’t panic about the Mavs yet, folks. Panic is for the weak.

2. Students find a skull near the Trinity. Uh, has anyone seen Jim Schutze lately?

3. The DMN endorses Tom Leppert for mayor. I know, you’re not shocked.

MAVERICKS LOSS MAKES MY TUMMY HURT

Um. Charles Barkley, I need a hug.

VALDEZ THE VICTIM?

Just not sure what to make of this story in the Dallas Voice about how Sheriff Lupe Valdez says she’s not to blame for county jail problems, and that the Morning News isn’t giving her a fair shake, and how’s she frustrated with all the criticism she’s gotten. That just ain’t how a leader acts.

STEVE BLOW EARNS HIS PAYCHECK

Every once in a while, Steve Blow gets up off his couch in Sunnyvale and goes out and behaves like an actual Metro columnist. Nice work.

BYE-BYE TO CENTRAL EXPRESSWAY PLANTS

It makes me sad to learn that they have to remove the plants in the median of Central Expressway because they’re too expensive to maintain. But how do you write an entire story about the situation without ever mentioning what kind of plants they are? That also makes me sad.

RE: NFL THE LIVE BLOG

No wonder this magazine never gets out on time. This is what the boys do all weekend. How come I am the only one working? Feel. Sorry. For. Me. Or I will do a live bird blog.

NFL DRAFT: THE LIVE BLOG

Join the dorks who love to waste one weekend a year on the most manufactured sporting event ever. Wheee!

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