Wired’s Chris Anderson Speaks For All of Us (Media Types)

He’s had enough with spam press releases from lazy and incompetent PR people. Next, maybe he’ll tackle the spam phone calls following up on the spam press releases.

Re: The Great One in HP Village?

Possible confirmation:

Highland Park Village, roughly one hour ago (around 3-ish), saw Wayne Gretsky strolling hand-in-hand with tall, gorgeous wife Janet. They were shopping at Ralph Lauren and then moseying around looking for something to eat. Nobody was recognizing them.

The Great One in HP Village?

An out-and-about FrontBurnervian writes:

100 percent sure I just saw Wayne Gretzky with his wife (90 percent sure about that one) sitting in front of the Starbuck’s in HP Village. Is he here this early scouting the Stars for Friday night’s game? Incidentally, Janet Jones not looking so hot. Wayne, looking incredibly hot.

Truthiness Or Dare

I’m not sure if this is official but I’m a sucker for (almost) any e-mail with Colbert in the subject line. (Oh, I love him so.) Anywhoo, short version: I just received a press release stating that Dr. Pepper, the company, wants to be Stephen Colbert’s running mate. Could Hillary and Mr. Pibb be far behind? Jump with me, I’ll make it a soft landing.

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David Cunniff: Sit the Next Couple of Plays Out

You remember David Cunniff, yes? Broke his neck at an Old 97’s show at Gypsy Tea Room? Led to a big trial involving skinhead activities and kinda-sorta took down The Entertainment Collaborative in the process? That David Cuniff. Well, as the Lakewood Advocate’s Back Talk blog reports, Cunniff — who had more or less recovered from his injuries — just broke his neck again. On a dirt bike. I met Cunniff once. Seems like a real nice guy. But I’d say from now on, he needs a minder. Someone who will step up every now and again and say, “Dave? Might not want to do that. You know? Your neck? Right.”

Happy Halloween From Herb and Gary

Here’s a look at the fun being had at Southwest Airlines today. That’s Chairman Herb Kelleher in the scrubs (which I believe say Grey’s Anatomy on them). And CEO Gary Kelly is on the right, dressed as Hairspray’s Edna Turnblad. More pictures are on Southwest’s blog. You can read more about Edna—er, Gary—in the upcoming issue of DallasCEO.

City Living Hazardous to Your Health?

Move back to the suburbs where it’s safe.

Salad Lover Doesn’t Love Lexus

A FrontBurnervian Foodie with a fondness for a quick salad moans:

Have you noticed that yesterday and today Lexus has been holding camp in the already ridiculously crowded and small parking lot at Eatzis? I guess it’s for some promotion. They have literally set up a tent in the parking lot and taken up perfectly good parking spots with their own vehicles. To give them some credit, the Lexus people did create 2 previously nonexistant parking spots for 2 of their cars. But the sidewalk to the entrance is blocked with sales reps who won’t let you walk in the door without hounding you about taking a car for a test drive. Do they really think people on their lunch breaks have time for a test drive?! If I had that kind of time, I wouldn’t be rushing in and out of Eatzis! And when you tell them “no thanks” they do not let up, saying they’ll give you 20 bucks, etc. Seriously. I’m so annoyed that I think I’ll have to get my salad fix elsewhere during my lunch break tomorrow. The annoyance is so not worth it. That, and spending nearly 9 bucks for a bowl of lettuce. 

He/She is ranched up. Are you?

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Todd Wagner Determined to Re-create the Movie Industry

Mark Cuban’s partner in 2929 Entertainment, Todd Wagner, tells Forbes in a fun little interview that he’s not giving up on the idea of simultaneous DVD/theatrical releases. Wagner says multi-platform release in the movie industry is as inevitable as it has been in the music biz, and that the resistance to switching to digital filming is just antiquated thinking by entertainment execs who don’t have an entrepreneurial mindset. All I know is, I can’t remember the last time I set foot in a theater.

Lane Garrison To Serve Time

An LA judge has sentenced former Prison Break star Lane Garrison to 40 months in prison. Garrison was responsible for the death of a teenager in a drunk driving accident last December. Though Garrison faced up to seven years in prison, the judge reportedly reduced his sentence due to his lack of criminal history, his immediate admission of guilt, and his offer of financial assistance—to the tune of $300,000—to the family of the 15-year-old who was killed in the crash. With good behavior, Garrison may be released after serving 20 months. The judge told Garrison, “I believe you are truly remorseful … [but] the public needs to know crimes like this need to be punished and, unfortunately, you have to be the messenger.”

Natural Gas Up, Too

Prices have risen 50 percent in the last two months. Congratulations to all Barnett Shale royalty holders.

Oil Hits $94 A Barrel

Should we be sad or happy? Me, I think Dallas should be very happy. Thanks to Fred Florence, the Republic banker who figured out how to lend money for drilling by estimating reserves in the early 1930s, Dallas became the finance center of the Texas oil industry, which is why (besides Neiman’s) so many oil families live here. Those families, now in their third and fourth generations, are awash in unexpected dollars, which will flow into the Dallas economy. Meanwhile, the larger economy is doing fine.

More Changes at the Observer

On the heels of the announcement that longtime editor Julie Lyons is leaving at the end of the year, the Dallas Observer just unveiled its latest redesign. It’s obvious before you even open a copy; the page is now an inch shorter. Not sure what, if anything, that does to them ad-wise. I mean, a quarter-page ad is still a quarter-page, right? The inside looks quite a bit different, too — new fonts and layouts and such. I like some of the changes and am definitely iffy on the others (something is not quite right about the columns section, for one thing). What do you think?

Park Place Snaps Up California Dealership

From the This Flew Under the Radar Department: Dallas’ Park Place Dealerships has acquired a Lexus dealership in Orange County, Calif. This is a big deal, not only because Southern California is a huge upscale-car market, but because it’s the first time Park Place has expanded outside Texas.

Trinity Vote: The Column That Wasn’t

Yeah, I’m busy today. The print version of FrontBurner is getting in the way. Get back with you tomorrow.

No More Pennies at Great American Hero

As I just discovered, before enjoying a no. 6 on white, no tomatoes, the sandwichery at Lemmon and Throckmorton is taking a bold stance against the penny: They’re getting rid of it. As the sign says, prices are rounded up or down to the nearest nickel. The edict is obviously and blatantly a marketing ploy just for the sake of publicity. It’ll never work. I mean, what media person is so hard-up for local, relevant, timely news that he’d deign to even post such a thing on a blog?

My Real Mavericks Preview

I was a little under the gun yesterday, so I didn’t have time to do more than, as Jessica pointed out, lazily redirect you sweet, sweet FBvians elsewhere in search of Mavs talk. But now I’m ready. It won’t be as funny as this, but let’s do it anyway. After the jump, of course.

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Time to Leave Exxon Alone?

So everyone loves to hate Big Oil in general, and hometown boys Exxon Mobil in particular. (Except when they’re filling their tanks. Or looking at how their shares in the company have done.) Anyhow, adding (ahem) fuel to the populist bonfire, Exxon is seeking relief from the ridiculous amount of punitive damages a jury levied, and that question is going to the Supreme Court. Dallas-based writer Jacob Sullum asks a pretty darn good question. How many times should Exxon be punished for fouling Prince William Sound? Of the punitive damages order, Sullum notes:

They’re not really damages at all; they’re punishments. Like criminal penalties, they’re supposed to serve the goals of deterrence and retribution. Exxon argues, pretty plausibly, that the $3.4 billion it already has paid is “more than enough to deter and punish anyone for anything.”

Re: Teatro Frida

I know Frida Kahlo was a truly great artist and self-portraitist, Glenn. I just wish she’d done something about her eyebrows and mustache.

The Dark Side of Vienna

I don’t know John Leake, who “divides his time between Dallas and Vienna,” but his first book, Entering Hades: The Double Life of a Serial Killer, is getting great reviews. It sounds to me like a fascinating story. If you want to meet John, there’s a book party November 14 at 3201 Dartmouth (they told me to invite my friends, and who’s a better collection of friends than the FB Nation?–so feel free to go.)

Frederick Turner’s Ghost Story

Intrigued to find that Fred Turner, who has more books than Bach had children, has yet another one that he’s performing tomorrow night, I called him up to ask him about what he has in mind with his Wayfarer. (more…)

Park Cities People Continues to Whip DMN’s Butt

And I continue to admonish myself for not checking the paper on HP stories before I check the Morning News. See, I’m old school. I’m a man. I’m 40. I assume that if another paper beats the DMN by, oh, five days on a story (like this cellphone restriction story), the DMN would say “as first reported in” and so forth. But no. So if you want more information on how the cellphone ban proposal came about, read last Friday’s story in the PCP.

Re: Leading Off–Cellphones

Memo to officials in Highland Park: Banning cellphone use while driving in school zones is a stupid idea. Please reconsider. Next they’ll say you can’t drive past fire stations while drinking your Starbucks. And, just as infuriating, how come every time the social engineers get behind some greater-good scheme like this, it’s for “the sake of the children”? Camel’s nose under the tent, and all that.

Teatro Frida

As The New Yorker (bear up, Elizabeth!) has it, Frida Kahlo’s cult has all kinds of associations with the Days of the Dead, which are upon us — and her art holds up, too. “Her self-portraits cannot be overpraised,” writes Peter Schjeldahl. “They are sui generis in art while collegial with great portraiture of every age.” For a local take, check out Cora Cardona’s Teatro Dallas (scroll down) fundraiser this Friday night at the Latino Cultural Center. Cardona herself plays Kahlo in the film they’re showing.

When Is The Last Time You Went To A Good Old-Fashioned Hoedown?

Before you call the PC Police, I’d like to alert you to this. Go. (And Eric, is there a write-in spot for Vote Maybe? Discuss.)�