Articles for May 23rd, 2007
PUSH POLL?
From the Department of Election Shenanigans.
I think the term is push poll – but I was just surveyed by the Oakley campaign. Questions like did I know that Tom Lepperts construction company used tainted dirt at a New Jersey elementary school, etc. Would this make a difference in how I voted?There was a long list of those type questions – that made Tom Leppert out to be the boogie man. I told the interviewer that this sort of nonsense was an insult to my intelligence. He died laughing and said they were getting alot of that.
Anyone else getting this kind of call? Or is it a reverse dirty trick?
“SURE, I’VE GOT $5 FOR EACH OF YOU”
Thanks to State Sen. Royce West, the Texas Senate has passed one of its more asinine taxes in history — a $5 admission fee for strip club patrons. The money extorted raised will go to sexual assault prevention services, indigent health care and some other damn thing. There was a day when stuff like this would get a politician tarred and feathered.
SMU STUDENT DIED OF ACUTE ALCOHOL POISONING
The SMU Daily Campus reports that first-year student Jordan Crist had a blood-alcohol level of .4. That’s five times the legal limit. Crist’s death was after that of Jacob “Jake” Stiles, who died from “a lethal cocktail of expensive prescription pain killer fentanyl, cocaine and alcohol, according to a report from the Dallas County Medical Examiner.” And then there was the recent death of Meaghan Bosch, which is still under investigation. I say this as unsnarkily as possible: be careful out there, kids.
TOBY SHOOK IS A MAN OF LETTERS
I forgot to post this earlier. Anyway, I was at Discount Tires this past Saturday, getting ready to roll on some 22s. (Actually, I wasn’t. I’m much lamer than that. I was just getting a tire to replace my flat.) And as I stood in line, the mechanic/tire specialist called out, “Toby Shook.” And sure enough, sitting in one of the hard plastic chairs behind me was the man that ran for DA. He wore a red baseball cap pulled low over his forehead and clothes no more or less scuzzy than my own, which were rather scuzzy. Well, Toby’s car was gonna take a few more minutes, so he returned to his seat. And that’s when I noticed the book. At first I thought it was the Bible. It was that thick. But, no, upon closer inspection, I couldn’t see the words “Holy” or “Bible.” This was something else. But what, I couldn’t make out. And I couldn’t get over how thick it was. I mean, this is what the man brings for some light reading at a tire shop?
The low-slung baseball cap, the scuzzy clothes, in all likelihood The Brothers Karamazov in tow. I’ll admit it, Toby Shook. You intrigue me.
RE: FINGERS OF FURY
Paul, I love Captain Fingers, too. But as I mentioned, I’d e-mailed those haughty UTA boys after finding the same paper yesterday. I didn’t post said paper (from 2003) because their 10 percent conclusions (which were really just a summary of conclusions other economists had reached) had been mentioned (although not by name) in the DMN story I linked to. So, we should mock the News when needed, but give it credit for bringing that up and getting reaction to it right away after the announcement. (And the DMN story was posted by, like, 2 p.m. yesterday.) I. J. S.
FINGERS OF FURY READS ACADEMIC PAPERS SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO
I love Big Bob. Really I do. (You hear that, Big Bob? Because I haven’t received your RSVP for my wedding reception. Get on that.) Today, FoF tracks down a paper Craig Depken wrote, Depken being a sports econ prof at UTA, titled, “What is the economic impact of hosting a Super Bowl?” The short answer, and there are few short answers with FoF, is “Not a whole lot.” It’s about one-tenth of what a city promises.
RE: VICTORY PLAZA
Now back at the office, after having spent enough time in the sun to feel slightly unfresh. They’ve got themselves something down there at Victory. You go down there. You watch something on those humongous screens. You hang out with a thousand people or so. You’re gonna feel like you’re in a real city.
Some of those people Eric and I hung out with happened to be from Hicks Holdings. They sat at the table next to ours. One thirtysomething fellow I talked to who helped put together the purchase of Liverpool said he’d hoped for a spot on the jet to Greece to watch the match. Sadly, it didn’t happen for him. He played soccer at the collegiate level and said he’s helped Tom Hicks acquaint himself with the European leagues and the play of the game itself. He said Hicks is a fast learner.
There was a comely lass sitting at his side. My favorite part was when one of the AC Milan players got a yellow card, which the ref held aloft. She turned to the Hicks Holdings fellow and asked, “Is that a red card?”
RE: LEGISLATURE FALSELY ACCUSES DALLAS OF WATER-HOGGING
A media-working FBvian isn’t happy with the anti-Dallas drift of the Texas House, either:
Thank you for taking the time to set the record straight on Dallas water usage. Interestingly, the spokesman for the Farm Bureau claims Dallas uses more water per capita than any other U-S city. Of course, he could not source it; but it has become nevertheless a part of the specious arguments advanced by those opposed to SB3. Conservation is critical to the future of the state, no doubt, but this angry and inaccurate portrayal of Dallas As All Things Evil is way over the top and underscores a deepening rift between the state’s urban and rural residents. It’s a damned sad thing to see.
Another FBvian reminds us of this commentary on SB 3, the water bill, by a relatively uknown anchor at CBS11 last week.
Back to you, Dallas and Fort Worth legislative delegation.
HARRY’S LATEST
I just got the advance proofs yesterday for Harry Hunsicker’s latest Lee Henry Oswald mystery, Crosshairs. It’s a little alarming that two of the early reviewers use almost the same sentence, though: “as raw and as mean as the east streets of Dallas that even Lee is reluctant to visit but with a fine line of humor shot through,” says Ken Bruen. James O. Born puts it this way: “Lee Henry Oswald walks the mean streets of Dallas with humor and style.” Hmm.
Tim and Eric, be careful out there.
THE PERFECT TOMATO?
Seeing Eric sunning at Victory Park just now reminded me that we finally have the answer to why it took 16 hours to shoot a tomato for our June cover. Tim? Kyle? Why not put it on FrontBurner for the folks to see the result. I say it was worth it. (Also, it would move the m.e. studmuffin previously mentioned down from the top of the queue.)
VICTORY PLAZA 1:39 P.M.
Rockin’ the free wi-fi at Victory Plaza. Gearing up for a Liverpool victory. The singing of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” has already begun. I wonder if Tom Hicks knows the words yet.
MATT MOSLEY NOW UP AND BLOGGING
We told you some time ago that Matt Mosley was going to ESPN. Now his blog, Hashmarks, is live and in color. Lots of news of local interest already posted, including that former Cowboys WR Keyshawn Johnson will be announcing his future plans this afternoon. Read it with your eyes if you’re so inclined.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAMING SERIES TAKES SHAPE
The CGS is a gaming league, with six start-up teams in six cities. Not surprisingly, Dallas is one of them. But the news today is the announcement of the General Managers for the teams. Noted gamer (or so I’m led to believe) Alex Conroy will do the drafting for Dallas. The bigger news today? That draft will be June 12 at the Playboy Mansion. Yep. America’s top computer gamers will be at the Playboy Mansion. Oh, to be a fly on that wall.
WHERE I’M GOING TO BE IN ABOUT, OH, TWO HOURS AND 14 MINUTES
Watching the UEFA Champions League Final at the AAC. If you, too, are a soccer nerd, you should be there, too. It’s free (except for the parking). I imagine there will be a lot of Liverpool fans there, but I doubt the scene will compare to what happened at the Londoner two years ago, when Liverpool and AC Milan squared off for the title. That game still ranks as the greatest soccer comeback I’ve ever witnessed and/or blogged about. But who knows? Maybe the underdog Reds will pull out another one.
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