UT Ranked on Safest Colleges List

Ahem. SMU may have been #16. That’s sweet. But UT is #6. And it’s also by far the largest school out of the entire 135.

A YouTube Video of Interest to Approximately Three FrontBurnervians

I’ve got a high-school alumni happy hour this afternoon, which has me in a St. Mark’s frame of mind, which means I finally remembered to seek out this YouTube vid a classmate told me about recently. Fellow Marksmen no doubt know of history teacher/baseball coach/basketball coach/legend Tom Adams’ fast talking. He is rumored to have held the world record for it. Here, in a documentary produced by none other than Shannon Wynne and Stephen Butt more than 20 years ago, is Adams doing his thang, speaking 346 words in less than a minute. Those words include: the 50 states, the 50 capitals of those states, the alphabet backwards, the (then) 38 presidents in order, the 66 books of the Bible, the 32 points of a compass, and the 28 train stops between New York and Chicago. See and hear for yourself.

SMU Ranked On Safest Colleges List

I didn’t know Reader’s Digest was even in the surveying business. But according to a new study by everybody’s grandmother’s favorite magazine, SMU is the 16th safest college in the United States.

Duke Nukem Forever Might Or Might Not Be Coming Out in 2008

Gamers are atwitter about Dallas-based 3D Realms’ next offering of the popular shoot-em-up game. Gamers got even more atwitter when the Dallas Business Journal reported that the long-delayed game might make it to retailers sometime this year. Not so fast. Realms’ Scott Miller now says any sort of timeline questions were internal and off the record, in a statement reported on G4’s site. He says it’ll be done “when it’s done.” Of course, the Duke Nukem forums are still atwitter … and aflutter, even.

A Brief Encounter With Miss Dallas USA

Bill Lively, Carl Sewell III, and Caroline Rose Hunt all turned up at the Rosewood Crescent Hotel last night to help launch something called The Social Book Dallas. But the most interesting person at the gathering might have been Jordan Strauss, Miss Dallas USA 2007. Make the jump to judge for yourself. (more…)

Ebby to Back O’Hare’s Mayoral Run

Just heard that Ebby Halliday is going to be backing immigration strongman Tim O’Hare in his bid for mayor of Farmers Branch. I think I speak for many when I ask, whiskey tango foxtrot?

Rumors Behind The Restaurant News

Anybody heard this? UPDATE

Wal-Mart Putting It To The Common Man Again

Wal-Mart has come up with yet another way to exploit the Poor and Downtrodden — they’re opening health clinics in select Wal-Mart stores, some of which are in Dallas. Driving down costs and making medical care more available to middle and lower income folks — who the heck do they think they are?

Tidbits Overheard At A Business Breakfast

As you may note below, Glenn and I had breakfast this morning with Ross Perot Jr. Well, Glenn, me, and about 300 other people. Don’t have time for a full recap of the Cushman & Wakefield market forecast, but after the jump I’ll pass along some interesting sound bites.

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Perot Jr. Sees Good Local Market For Pickups And Guns

Developer Ross Perot Jr. thinks North Texas will withstand any economic downturn as well as anywhere–not least because of all the trickle-down wealth being created by the Barnett Shale natural-gas field. Shopping at Cabela’s the other day, the Hillwood honcho told a Dallas real estate crowd this morning, he was buttonholed by one of the store’s employees. “Ross,” the Cabela’s guy told him, “there’s a staggering number of ranchers walking in here with wads of hundred-dollar bills.” The upshot, Perot says: The west side of Fort Worth is filled these days with cash-flush folks buying new pickups–and new guns.

Andrew Litton’s Ride For Sale?

A plugged-in FrontBurnervian sends along this listing of a Porsche for sale and writes:

Finely tuned suspension. A crescendo of horsepower. Sweet red leather interior. I hear through the automotive grapevine that this Porsche for sale at University Park Audi once belonged to Andrew Litton. If you’re into that kind of thing.

Reminds me of the Rob & Big episode when Rob got dissed by the WSJ for his C-listness when it came to selling his suburban and ended up giving it away. That was a great episode, but then, every episode of that show is a great episode.

Update: A helpful FrontBurnervian writes:

A reliable source tells me that the car for sale mentioned in your post (before the blog crashed) is not Andrew Litton’s former vehicle. This has four-wheel drive (hence, Carrera 4); his did not (Carrera 2). Very similar otherwise, though.

Still, I think we can all agree Rob & Big is an awesome show.

Heritage Auction Galleries’ Embarrassing Blunder

Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries must refund thousands of dollars to bidders who were duped into buying fake Hollywood memorabilia last April. One local collector paid more than $4,000 for a whiskey flask purportedly owned by Errol Flynn—though if you’re spending four grand on a flask, you’ve probably got it coming anyway, wouldn’t you think?

This news certainly raises concerns about the authenticity of other items bought at auction. I, for one, am going to be looking into the legitimacy of all my recent purchases. The latest? $30 G’s for Diversity, which I believe is an old, old, wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era.

Pony Up, B-Ball Edition

In case you think we didn’t know or chose not to notice, SMU lost a squeaker last night to No. 1-ranked, undefeated Memphis, 77-48. The Tigers had a dramatic come-from-behind victory (the B-team that started was down 7-3 at the start of the game). Sarcasm aside: I’m conflicted about my alma mater playing a No. 1-ranked team. It’s cool to hear the small, private school mentioned on ESPN SportsCenter, yes. It’s not cool that it’s a game no one ever imagined the Mustangs could win. At least June Jones is happy with his signing day.

“Buy Me! I’m Cheap!”

Phil King is the Republican state represenative from Weatherford. He is also chairman of the House Committee on Regulated Industries. In 2005, he denied he had accepted free tickets to the SuperBowl from CenterPoint Energy. But he did. What does it cost to acquire the good graces of the state rep. who controls how your business is regulated? In King’s case, it’s only $876.30.

(Kudos to R. A. Dyer of the Star-Telegram for sticking with the story.)

More About Angie Harmon at Fashion Week

Who knew Angie Harmon was still such a headliner? First it was her personal hair wrangler. Now it’s her views on the Writers Guild strike that get her some NY pub. Meanwhile, our own Stephanie Quadri apologizes for not updating her Fashion Week reporting just yet. She lost her wallet and has had to file a police report in order to be allowed on the plane ride back home. Developing.

Leading Off

1. The Democrats are coming! The Democrats are coming!

2. Thanks to a law change, I’ll finally have the kind of person I’ve always wanted in the cockpit: a desperate, old pilot.

3. Dirk Nowitzki notches his first career triple-double in a Mavs win over Milwaukee. Typically, I was there, but had to leave after two quarters. I came down with a bad case of mysoniswhiningbecauseitsgettinglate.